Cousins

by Shiue_E_Fha

Summary:

Direct continuation of 'Not a Lonely Day (Because of You All)'. Determined to maintain a good relationship with her newly found cousin, Anya talks with Freddy and invites him to her new home. In the dinner, when Amanda's family name before she got married was mentioned, Freddy tells them something unexpected, which then becomes their secret from then on.

Three years later, the unexpected secret haunts them in the form of a conspiracy.

Chapter 1: Conversation at Lunch

"Now that we know the fact about his grandfather and Chichi, I guess I need to assume him as my brother now."

After Yuri and Chloe's visit to her new house last night, Anya couldn't help but kept thinking about her conclusion about Freddy which she spoke to her would be aunt, Chloe, so when he saw him walked across the Imperial Scholar's lounge to take his lunch, Anya waved her right hand, called him, "Freddy, my brother! Come sit next to us!"

Freddy winced as Anya tapped her left hand to an empty spot beside her, as Becky sat at her right side and Damian sat in front of her across the dining table, with Ewen and Emile beside him.

"Anyacchi, I know that our fathers are stepbrothers but don't call me 'brother'. We're just cousins," he hissed under his breath as he approached the table and sat onto the empty seat.

"But cousins are supposed to be near like siblings!" Anya grinned. "It's the fact that we can't deny."

Damian Desmond raised an eyebrow as he turned away from his favorite Schnitzel. "Wait, what's the fact that you both can't deny?"

Freddy froze. 'Oh no. My grandfather just recently revealed it to me, so I still don't know what to do. I don't have any crush on her, but still, it surprised me much.'

Anya puffed out her chest proudly. "Freddy and I are cousins! His father was Chichi's stepbrother!!"

The room fell silent as all of the Imperial Scholars there heard what Anya just said.

Becky Blackbell's eyes sparkled with intrigue as she whispered, "Oh! Freddy, if your father was Mr. Loid's stepbrother, does this mean you have secret spy connections to WISE as well?"

Freddy groaned as he buried his face in his hands. "Well, my grandfather is the new chief of the SSS, but it doesn't mean that I'm a spy. I don't even have idea about espionage or something like that. I'm just a normal citizen."

Damian scoffed. "Wait, so your family is involved in his family, Anya? Wow, what kind of weird twist is this? I mean, it's not that long since your 'comeback' to the Authens, and now?"

Freddy wasn't even sure how to answer. He didn't have all the details. His grandfather just told him that he somehow had another family in Westalis which he left in Luwen several years ago, which he assumed wasn't survived in the sudden invasion that happened there not so long after his departure. The false assumption encouraged him to get married with an Ostanian woman and have a son from her, who now becomes Freddy's father.

Somehow, in one of his missions before Operation Strix, Agent Twilight found out about his father's identity, along with his new family, but then he decided to just ignore all of those facts and moving on, cut the ties with his father long before Freddy was even born.

However, here Freddy was, sitting in the middle of the most chaotic group of Imperial Scholars (?) in Eden College, forced to deal with the fact that his family history had been dragged into the spotlight.

Even though Anya had toned down her usual chaos, she wasn't about to let Freddy sulk in denial.

"It's not so bad," said the pinkette as she nudging him. "At least, now we can share snacks more freely. You know that family share everything with each other, don't you?"

Freddy exhaled. "That's NOT how family works, Anyacchi."

"Well, but aren't you proud that both your grandfather and your uncle are dedicating themselves to maintain the peace between the two countries, unlike my father who actually was going to ruin it back then?" asked Damian in a serious tone before he turned his attention back to his lunch.

"Yeah, even though both WISE and the SSS were rivals in the past, but both of the organizations actually had a common goal, and now they're working together to maintain that goal." Anya nodded. "Chichi was already retired though, but your grandfather keeps working to make sure that the peace will stay forever. At least, that's what my uncle said yesterday."

"Uh, I don't know, but I guess they did something great." Freddy finally smiled before he asked, "By the way, I heard from my grandfather that your uncle was one of them who saved my bus in the bus hijacking incident. Is it true?"

"Yes, it is. My uncle told me that he rescued your bus while I and my hallmates here were struggling to rescue ourselves…"

"Says the one who confronted the terrorist in our bus and endangered herself." Becky shook her head. "I still remember about the bombs around both Damian and your neck."

"Those were fake bombs, Becky. He just threatened us."

"Well, you told me about it back then, but still…" Damian sighed, then turned to Freddy. "Wait. Why do you ask…"

Damian paused. He then realized something as he remembered about Freddy's hall.

"Ah, now I remember that you're from Hamilton Hall, which students were in another bus that was hijacked on that day, along with the students from the Malcom Hall." Damian nodded. "Didn't the terrorists in your bus command you and the other students in your bus to cover the windows with a large black cloth?"

"No. They just stood guard outside the bus."

"I see. That's why Uncle Yuri could rescue you and the other students there easily, even though he was shot by one of them." Anya sighed. "Ridiculously, he blamed me, even though it wasn't the bus I was on."

Anya then noticed that Freddy intentionally shifted the conversation so she couldn't talk further about their new relationship, then she cleared her throat and declared, "Anyway, let's move on from the bus hijacking incident. Now I just want to say that as your cousin, I invite you to my new house today!"

"Eh?!"

"I also invite you four, so don't worry," Anya quickly assured Becky, Damian, Ewen and Emile. "All of you don't need to be jealous only because Freddy is my cousin."

"Well, of course I won't be jealous only because of him, but you know what?" Becky took a glance at Damian before she added, "During our conversation here now, I guess it's possible that someone here becomes jealous. Am I right, Damian?"

"Huh?" Damian tilted his head. "Blackbell, what do you mean with that?"

"Well, I silently was thinking that when you suddenly scoffed, then compared Mr. Loid and Freddy's grandfather with your father regarding their perception about the war and the peace, then asked Freddy about the situation in his bus during the bus hijacking, you slightly look… kinda annoyed."

"Blackbell, why would I be jealous? It's not like being family matters that much."

"Really? But I can imagine that you'll find yourself paying too much attention to both of them once they're acting way too comfortable around each other, even though it's only as cousins," teased Becky. "I can imagine your protest to Anya-chan that she had been spending a lot of time with Freddy lately, then you'll deny your own jealousy with your tomato face."

"What the… I won't ever be jealous like what you say, Blackbell!" Damian tried to look calm, but his loud voice and reddened face shown otherwise, "Why should I?"

"Oh, Damian, of course you'll deny it, but I'll always know that you lie."

Damian glared at the brunette in front of him, "I don't care. If they want to spend some time together as cousins, then just go ahead."

Becky smirked as she replied, "Sure, you don't care at all. Say, wouldn't it be tragic if Anya-chan and Freddy started spending even more time together?"

"Finished your lunch right now before the break is over!" commanded Damian as he pointed at her then slammed his hands on their table. "Also, why would I care about that?! Stop saying things that aren't true!!"

He hurriedly finished his lunch, making Anya turn to look at him in confusion.

"Jinan, your face is red. Are you sick?" asked Anya innocently, oblivious with the conversation between Becky and Damian. "Should we accompany you to the infirmary now?"

"No, don't worry about him, Anya-chan. Your Jinan is just going through something else." Becky smirked.

Damian groaned, shoving his now empty tray aside and storming off. Both Ewen and Emile stared at each other before decided to collect Damian's empty tray with theirs.

"Well then, looks like I and Emile should check if our dear boss is okay." Ewen sighed. "Don't you think what you said to him is… too much, Becks?"

"Nah, he's okay. I just stated what I noticed anyway," Becky assured, then added with concern, "but if you think it's already too much, I guess you know how to calm him down."

"I'll try then, even though I'm not sure myself if later I decide to tease him along with you." Ewen smiled, then turned to Emile and added, "Let's go check on him, Emile."

Emile nodded, then they left the Imperial Scholar lounge after he promised Anya that the trio would still come to her house with them after school.

Notes:

I initially just want to write the change of the relationship between Anya and Freddy in a oneshot, but the idea suddenly was developed into a multichapter fic.

Chapter 2: The Boys Chill Conversation

Summary:

Damian, frustrated by Becky's teasing of his jealousy, storms out of the Imperial Scholar's lounge, only to be followed by Ewen and Emile, who apparently are worried about him, but also see an opportunity to tease him at the same time. However, as they talk, Damian realizes that he might be jealous, even though he never says the words out loud until... probably much later in the future.

Notes:

Just a short chapter about the boys.

Damian stormed out of the Imperial Scholar's lounge with frustration that bubbled in his chest. He kept persuading himself that Becky didn't know him well at all. It was a normal thing for Anya to ask Freddy to take his lunch with them, especially after she found out that he was her cousin.

Even so, he was a bit uncomfortable, and that was infuriating.

Ewen and Emile followed him out from the room, barely holding back their grins.

"Dude," Emile panted, catching his breath. "You really lost it back there."

Ewen snickered, "Yeah, that was legendary. Even Becks looked impressed, and a little bit concerned like us."

Damian rubbed his temples. "Oh, shut up. If you both also want to tease me…"

"Okay, okay, we won't tease you but hear me out. We just want to talk with you as your best friends." Emile leaned against the wall. "Well, let's just say that hypothetically, you were jealous, or are jealous, or maybe will be jealous…"

"I'M NOT JEALOUS AND WON'T EVER BE!" Damian snapped.

Ewen raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. But, um… if you were, it would make sense, right?"

Damian glared. "And why would it make sense?"

Ewen shrugged. "I mean, you and Anya have… a thing. You know, a weird rivalry thing, so it's kinda annoying when she's suddenly all buddy-buddy with Freddy instead, as they're cousins."

Damian hesitated.

He hated that Ewen had a point.

Emile jumped in. "You're used to fighting with Anya. It's kinda your thing, right?"

Damian crossed his arms. "It's not a thing. Also, I'm not fighting with her anymore since we found out the truth about the Authens. She's my best friend now, like you both and Blackbell."

"Still, you can't deny that your relationship with her is quite different with our friendship, or with her friendship with Becks. You always have the thing, whether it's a rivalry thing or not. Well, maybe it's not the rivalry thing for now. It's the… past connection thing?" said Ewen carefully. "But if she's suddenly hanging out with Freddy more than you, then it's just useless."

Silence.

Damian sighed deeply before he kicked a pebble on the ground.

"How stupid," he muttered.

"So, you are jealous!" Emile grinned.

Damian scowled. "Did you hear what I just said?"

Ewen nudged him. "But you didn't seem to try to deny it either!"

Damian shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away. "Can we just stop talking about it, please?"

Ewen and Emile exchanged victorious looks but wisely didn't push further as they nodded.

Because even though Damian would never fully admit it, they all knew.

And honestly? That was good enough.

"Then, how about her invitation to her new house? Should we go then?" asked Ewen. "Don't worry. I'll make sure that Becks won't ever tease you anymore there."

"Well, we'll go there with them." Damian cleared his throat. "Just… don't talk about that thing anymore."

"Just leave it to us, Damian."

Chapter 3: The Gang's Visit

Summary:

Anya apparently doesn't invite Freddy and the others spontaneously, as she told Loid and Yor about the plan this morning. The six eighth graders then have some interaction with the one-and-a-half-year-old Alfred when surprisingly, the baby grabs Damian's finger...

This morning, at the Authen's Penthouse…

"So, you want to invite Freddy and all of your best friends here today, after school," concluded Loid after Anya explained her plan to the whole family when they took their breakfast together.

Anya nodded. "Freddy needs to see his other cousin, while the others must meet Alfred again. We all know that they didn't have chance to meet Alfred in this last six months. I want them to see his growth as the new member of the Authens."

Loid and Yor had hesitated, so they asked permission to Sigmund, Barbara, Albert and Amanda, but at this point, all of them had accepted that when Anya had an idea, no one could stop her, so all of them approved it.

And so, she invited the five teenagers at lunch.

.

Once they arrived at the Authen's Penthouse, Becky immediately approached Alfred's crib. "Oh my gosh, Anya-chan, Alfred is much cuter now!"

Anya puffed up with pride. "That's because he's Alfred Authen! Chichi trains him to be a cute spy in training!"

Loid sighed, then took a sip of his tea after he replied, "Anya, I don't train your brother to be a spy."

Ewen and Emile examined the sleepy Alfred like he was a mysterious creature.

"Well, I did have my own little sister, Elaine, but I don't remember when she was still this small," Emile muttered. "Our age gap is only a year, after all."

"Anyways, what do babies even do every day? Did they just exist and grow up like this?" Ewen asked.

Damian crossed his arms, acted as if he wasn't interested in anything, but secretly, he kept glancing at Alfred.

Meanwhile, Freddy was more hesitant to even approach his younger cousin, as he was the only one who just recently knew about the baby.

"So, Anyacchi, you're an older sister now?" asked him to Anya.

Anya nodded firmly. "Yes, and I'll protect Alfred with all my powers!"

Damian snorted. "As if you could protect anyone."

"Hmph! I'm very powerful, Jinan! You need to remember that." Anya declared.

Becky grinned. "Anya-chan, you're just making excuses to be dramatic here, aren't you?"

Anya grinned back. "Yes."

When the others were still busy around Alfred, Freddy shifted his attention to Loid, his only uncle. The fang boy had grown up knowing his father as a practical, reserved man, who was never the one to dwell on the past, and also, was never the one to talk about family beyond the essentials, and Freddy never questioned it, until one evening when his grandfather shared the story.

At first, it was just a name. A mention of a brother his father had never known existed. Surprisingly several other names were mentioned, as the brother mentioned was Twilight, a spy who kept disguising and already left his real name behind, but then there was a name stay existed.

Loid Forger, or as of now, Loid Authen.

Freddy realized that his father hadn't simply forgotten about Loid. He had never known him at all. He didn't know anything about his father's - Freddy's grandfather's life when he still lived in Westalis with his first wife and son.

Freddy still remembered the moment when he listened carefully as his father processed the weight of the discovery.

.

"I had a brother," his father murmured, disbelief thick in his voice. "All these years… and I never knew."

"I didn't know that he's still alive, until that moment when we met and I recognized him." His grandfather sighed. "If only I found him sooner…"

The truth was painful in a way Freddy hadn't expected. His grandfather - The current Chief Klaus - had never mentioned Loid or all of his previous names before, never revealed that he had another son before severing ties. The unknown first son had been erased, removed from their family history entirely.

Freddy watched as his father wrestled with the realization. Had he spent his entire life missing something that had been hidden from him?

.

Loid, too, struggled with the weight of the past. When Freddy approached him with the truth - that his estranged stepbrother had never even known he existed - the anger, the regret, the buried emotions all surfaced.

"Well, your father didn't know about me because your grandfather didn't tell him." Loid sighed. "Not because my father didn't want to reach me out, but he just didn't know that I'm survived in that attack, or… that I'm survived from those war."

"I see." Freddy nodded. For him, the revelation changed everything.

His family wasn't just divided by choice.

It had been divided by secrecy.

And now, for the first time, Freddy had the opportunity to mend something that had been broken before he was even born.

"I heard that you challenged your grandfather to bowling yesterday… Was it fun?" asked Loid.

"Yeah, my grandfather was a tough rival in bowling. We were draw yesterday, but I had some fun with him," Freddy replied.

"Nice to hear that." This time, it was Loid's turn to nod. "Did he… talk about me yesterday?"

"Well, he just said that whenever he looked at my hair, it reminded him with you." Freddy paused, then asked, "Is my haircut similar with yours, uncle?"

"At least, that was my haircut when the last time he went home to my place back then," replied Loid softly. "It was before he left me and my mother there."

.

"Da…Da!"

Moments later, at some point, Alfred grabbed Damian's finger as he babbled, made the room fell silent.

Damian froze, staring at the tiny hand wrapped around his as he mentally asked, 'Why does he…'

Ewen nudged Emile. "Bro… Damian is soft now."

Damian scowled. "I'm not soft. This is just a coincidence."

Becky laughed. "You totally are, Damian! He grabs your finger because he knows it."

Freddy, watching the moment unfolds in front of him, muttered, "You definitely are."

Anya beamed. "Baby Alfred approves of Jinan!"

"Uh…" Damian carefully pulled his hand away from the baby, then cleared his throat and mumbled, "Well, whatever."

Even so, everyone could see that he kept sneaking glances at Alfred from then, and suddenly, the dynamic had shifted between them.

Chapter 4: A Baby's Declaration and the Dinner

Summary:

When Alfred unexpectedly grabs Damian's finger and effectively 'claiming' him as the baby excitedly babbles, Freddy and the rest of the gang react with playful dramatics, declaring that Damian has been 'chosen' and is now bound by the sacred laws of baby affection. Damian tries to deny it, but Alfred refuses to let go, tightening his grip like a miniature emperor securing his territory. The older boy then gives up as he hesitantly taps his fingers back, intensifying the toddler's delighted noises. Anya gleefully announces that Alfred has fully accepted Damian as his cool older brother, sealing Damian's fate as part of Alfred's inner circle, whether he likes it or not.

Moments later, they take dinner together with the big family, but the conversation unveils something unexpected…

Damian had no idea how it happened.

He did keep sneaking glances at Alfred right after he carefully pulled his hand back from the toddler, but he didn't expect that Alfred would capture his finger again, even in a vice grip this time.

"Alfred…" he whispered while staring down at the same small hand wrapped more securely around his finger - also the same finger as the first one. The toddler's chubby fingers curled around it like he had just claimed ownership.

"Da… Da!" Alfred proudly babbled, his round sapphire eyes blinking up at him with pure delight.

Ewen dramatically gasped. "Bro, he chose you."

Emile sagely nodded. "It's a sacred bond between you both now. You can't escape."

"Have your younger sister ever do the same thing, Emile?" asked Damian.

"I don't remember much, but Elaine liked to hold my hand anytime we spend time together." Emile nodded. "I guess, that's what a younger sibling likes to do."

"Congratulations, Damian. You're officially a baby's favorite… wait." Becky realized something. "Don't you think that Alfred…"

"What? Blackbell, don't say that you think about something irrational about this…" Damian glared at her, who turned to see him, then to Anya's face, before she looked at Alfred's face once again.

The toddler kept babbling in delight - now it was something between "Da!" and "Aaaah!". His wide blue eyes filled with toddler enthusiasm.

Noticing the 'new babbling', Becky gasped.

"Oh. My. GOD. Don't you hear what he says just now? He basically called your name, and Anya-chan as well." Becky squealed, clutching her chest as she concluded, "Alfred just blessed you both! This is it! The prophecy is unfolding!"

Damian jerked back, trying to free his finger. "EXCUSE ME-"

Becky whirled to the others. "You all saw what he did and heard what he said, right?! Babies don't just grab fingers and babble randomly. They do all of those things instinctively! It means that Alfred has officially endorsed Damian and Anya-chan's future!"

Freddy snorted. "Becky, he's literally just a baby."

Becky ignored him. "This is fate! A sacred baby decrees! We absolutely can't deny it!"

Ewen nodded, completely on board. "If a toddler approves, it's irreversible. That's just common knowledge."

"I agree!" Emile exclaimed.

Damian looked seconds away from strangling someone. "You are ALL delusional."

Meanwhile, the oblivious Anya just beamed with pride. "My baby brother is very wise," she declared. "You should listen to him more, Jinan."

Alfred squealed, delighted by all the excitement. He tightened his grip and tugged harder, as if further sealing Damian's inescapable destiny.

Then, before Damian could forcibly detach himself from Alfred's unyielding grip, the adults overheard the commotion. Loid, who somehow walked into the kitchen right after his short conversation with Freddy, now returned to the living room with Yor, Amanda, Sigmund and Barbara. Meanwhile, Albert just came home from the office.

"Oh, how sweet!" Yor cooed. "Look at him reaching for everyone. He must love having Anya's friends here!"

"I agree with you, Yor. He even doesn't cry." Amanda nodded, then turned to the gang and added, "He must remember that you guys joined him in celebrating his first birthday six months ago."

"Well, I didn't though…" Freddy sighed.

"In your case, I think he just can feel that you're his cousin, even though it's your first meeting. He's my son, anyway." Loid, ever observant, smiled. He patted both Freddy and Damian's shoulder as he added, "Alright then, let's walk to the dining room. We have prepared dinner for all of us."

"Eh? You don't need to…"

"Actually, Anya told us that you all would come here today, so… we hope you all will have dinner with us before going home," Yor admitted, cut what Damian said. "I guess Alfred also agree with us."

Alfred, still gripping Damian's hand with iron determination, babbled happily and smacked the table with excitement - unknowingly sealing everyone's fate.

Becky giggled. "Welp, Damian. First, he blessed your relationship. Now he's making sure you share a meal as a family. You're really stuck now."

"I don't have choice then…" Damian sighed. "At least it's not my first time take dinner with you all."

After a long pause, he hesitantly moved his free hand, just barely, and tapped Alfred's tiny fingers.

Alfred squealed with triumph.

Anya beamed. "He loves you now! Jinan, you belong to Baby Alfred!"

"Whatever you say, Stubby Legs." Damian rolled his eyes, but secretly, he didn't mind as much as he should.

Just then, Alfred released his finger, as Damian slowly smiled while looking at the toddler.

All of them then walked to the dining room, where they already prepared twelve regular portions and one small portion of Southern Stew.

Yor carefully served Alfred the small portion of the stew, which consisted of the shredded meat, soft vegetables, and a thick broth, so it would be easier for him to consume.

"Eh? Can he eat it? He's a baby anyway," asked Freddy.

"We've been giving him food since he was still six months old," Yor explained. "But of course, we need to adjust his meal so he can eat it easily."

"I see," replied Freddy with a nod.

Alfred, completely innocent, happily smacked his spoon against the table, demanding more food.

When he took his first bite, he froze, wide-eyed. Then, with dramatic toddler enthusiasm, he let out a loud, satisfied "Mmmm!", his tiny legs kicking with excitement.

"I'm grateful that he likes it!" Yor beamed. "It's our first time giving him the Southern Stew."

Alfred smacked his spoon again, babbling "Mooore! Mama more!", fully committing to the meal.

Becky gasped theatrically. "Alfred has now blessed the stew! The meal is officially sacred!"

Damian groaned. "Blackbell, can we stop with the blessings? That's such a nonsense."

Loid chuckled, watching Alfred happily dive into his meal. "Well, at least this means dinner is a success."

"Not before we eat the cake, Loid." Amanda stood up from her seat, then walked into the kitchen as all of them heard the oven beeping. "All of you need to eat it, okay?"

"Oh, let me help you." Yor followed. The two women then set down a freshly baked carrot cake, its soft texture and inviting aroma immediately catching Alfred's attention. The toddler's eyes widened in pure awe.

"It's carrot cake, isn't it?" asked Freddy, who then turned to Anya. "I thought you hate carrots."

"It is. Well, normally I hate carrots, but I don't hate this cake." Anya shrugged. "It's mama's family recipe anyway, and they manage to make the carrots enjoyable here."

"Mama? You mean…"

A dramatic baby gasp suddenly cut what Freddy said, as Alfred reached out wildly, babbling nonsense syllables of excitement, his fingers wiggling demandingly toward the cake.

"Wow, he looks excited to see the cake…" Damian mumbled.

"He does. I think he wants some!" Yor said, delighted.

"Is it okay for him to eat it, Uncle?" Freddy asked Loid.

Loid nodded. "A small piece should be fine."

Yor carefully set a tiny toddler portion in front of Alfred - soft, easy to eat, and without frosting to keep things manageable.

Alfred wiggled in delight, immediately grabbing the cake with both hands - zero utensils, just pure baby chaos.

"Are we just… letting him do that?" Damian's hazel eyes widened. "But the mess…"

Loid, ever the rational one, nodded. "Actually, this can help him develop fine motor skills. Self-feeding can improve his hand-eye coordination and encourage independence."

Becky gasped dramatically as she concluded, "So, not only is this cake delicious, but also educational?! The blessings never stop!"

Meanwhile, Alfred was too busy smashing the cake into his face enthusiastically to care about the conversation. Crumbs scattered everywhere, made all of them chuckled.

"Hey, you throw cake onto my sleeve, you messy baby." Damian couldn't help but playfully teasing the toddler. "Fortunately, we removed our capes before we took our dinner, but still, you dirty my uniform."

"Do you mind, Jinan?" Anya smirked as she surprisingly served herself a big portion of the cake and enjoyed it, right after she finished her stew. "Alfred ruined your uniform, though…"

"No. No problem at all." Damian shook his head, then asked, "Is the cake that delicious?"

"Just take it and taste it yourself, Jinan." Anya took another bite of the cake. "However, this is a special recipe known only to the Caldwell family."

"Huh? Caldwell?" asked Freddy, didn't understand. "Is it your mama's family name before she got married?"

"Yeah," Anya nodded, but then she realized something. "Wait a minute. Freddy, did your grandfather tell you about my biological parents?"

"He told me," Freddy confirmed. "He said that Uncle Loid and Auntie Yor were your adoptive parents, while Uncle Albert and Auntie Amanda were your biological parents. He said that he knew about it from Grandpa Siggy and Grandma Barb, as they contacted him to prepare some documents to legalize Uncle Loid's adoption to the Authens."

"Did he just let Grandpa Siggy adopting Mr. Loid that easily?" asked Ewen in disbelief, but then he answered it himself as he nodded sagely. "Well, not that it's impossible, though… especially if the situation is complicated like this."

Becky shrugged. "Well, that's none of our business anyway, so let's just leave it there."

"I agree with you, Blackbell." Emile crossed his arms as he nodded. "Well then, let's just enjoy the cake and don't talk about complicated things."

"I know it, right?" Becky smiled. All of them then take their turn to get the cake.

"But seriously, is the family name Caldwell? For real?" asked Freddy. "Because my best friend told me that his father had a stepsister who used her mother's family name before she got married, and the family name was Caldwell."

"Really?!" Anya gasped. "It's possible that he's my cousin as well. Who is he?"

"Well, he's Tertius, the Prince of Septevia."

"WHAT?!"

Chapter 5: The Another Cousin and the Teenager's Romance

Summary:

Amanda confirms what Freddy said about her mother's family name but then asks all people in the dining room to keep it a secret. Anya asks her reason as she's honestly glad that she has Tertius as her another cousin, but Amanda just promises to her that she'll explain it later once Anya is old enough to know about it.

Later at the dorm, Damian, Ewen and Emile are talking about their own crush, right after Becky surprisingly blew a kiss to Ewen before she went home. Three years later, each of them has a girlfriend.

Notes:

And so, now this one officially becomes the sequel of the main fic.

Honestly, I've been thinking about the idea to make a sequel for 'Authenticating the Forgers' since a few weeks ago, even before I added both Freddy and Tertius in 'The Journey of Their Relationship', but I still wasn't really sure to write it back then. I initially planned to write another fic for the sequel rather than this one, but I guess it'll be more effective if I just make this one as the sequel instead, as the theme isn't so far from what I already write here.

Happy reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter because we'll skip the time to three years later here, so the next chapters will have the same time setting with the last chapter of 'Authenticating the Forgers'.

Anya couldn't believe what Freddy just said.

"Freddy, did Tertius really tell you something like that?" asked her to the fang boy. "He wasn't kidding, right?"

"Of course, He told me," Freddy insisted. "It was the day after my grandfather revealed about you and Uncle Loid. I took my lunch with him and told him that my father apparently had a stepbrother, then he replied to me with that statement, that his father had a stepsister whose family name was Caldwell."

"Did you tell him about me?"

"No, I just told him about the situation without mentioning any name, but then he said that he wanted to know where his aunt lives now, but his father - the King - forbade him to look for her. He said that I was luckier than him that at least I could meet my missing relatives - Uncle Loid and you, while his own father just didn't want to know about his own stepsister's whereabouts." Freddy shook his head.

"Really?" Anya then turned to Amanda and asked, "Mama, are you the stepsister of the King that they talked about?"

"Well, that's right, Anya. I've ever lived in that kingdom when I was still a little kid, but then my mother and the former king - your grandparents - were divorced, then my mother brought me to Covenia to live there. We've been cutting our relationship with them since then." She smiled weakly. "My mother wasn't important for them, after all, so it's not necessary for them to keep their relationship with us. They don't need to interact with us."

"But why? Is it better if Tertius knows that his aunt is still alive, having a good life with her big family? Is it better if we can invite him here as well?"

"No, Anya, don't tell him about me. He doesn't need to know, and you don't need to know either." Amanda paused, then added, "I promise I'll tell you why someday, when you're old enough to understand."

"Mama…"

"Alright, so that means… Tertius definitely is Anya-chan's cousin as well, right?" Becky concluded. "Then, it's confirmed that Auntie Amanda is the King's stepsister."

"Yeah, it's confirmed." Freddy exhaled. "It seems like, I did something wrong here."

"No, Freddy. You didn't do anything wrong at all," Anya assured the fang boy. "I'm just sad we need to keep it a secret."

"Wow, interesting." Becky nodded. "Apparently, the two boys who made my cousin jealous and forming our study group are your cousins, Anya-chan."

"I guess so… No, wait." Anya noticed what Becky just said and asked, "Becky, do you want to imply that actually, you and Jinan are also…"

"Well, Auntie Melinda is mama's cousin, so yeah…" Becky shrugged. "I guess it means that we're cousins as well."

"I get it. That's why you both have that sibling dynamic…"

"I'm not really sure about the sibling dynamic that you're talking about, Anya." Damian shook his head. "I just can't believe that I have an annoying half cousin like Blackbell."

"You're the annoying one, Damian," Becky retorted.

"Oh, wow. Did we talk about cousins too much today?" Ewen pointed out. "Then, what now? Does anyone of you suspect that me and Emile are cousins as well?"

"Nah, I know really well that you both aren't cousins," replied Damian. "More like, you both were a pair of unidentical twins in your past life."

"Well, that can be true." Emile smirked.

Moments later, the dinner was over. As Freddy prepared himself to go home with Becky, Damian, Ewen and Emile, Loid gave him an envelope.

"What is this, Uncle Loid?" asked Freddy. "Should I give it to my dad? Or else, is it for my granddad?"

"Give it to your grandfather, Freddy. I want to pay my last debt to him," Loid demanded. "Don't forget to persuade him to come here anytime he wants. Oh, and you also can ask your parents to come here with you. However, this house is always open for you and your family."

"Alright, Uncle Loid. I'll give it to him." Freddy put the envelope into his schoolbag. "He must be happy to receive this."

"Chichi, are you referring to the five dalcs that you borrowed from your father to buy that toys, but you lied to him that you wanted to use it to buy a book?" asked Anya curiously.

"Yeah, I just want to apologize to him that I lied to him on that day, before my hometown was attacked," Loid admitted. "Maybe, it's a perfect time for me to reconcile with him."

"I understand."

The five visitors then walked to Eden College, as Damian, Ewen and Emile were still lived in the dorm and Becky asked her driver to pick her and Freddy up there.

"Wow, what a tiring day… Who knows that we'll have this long conversation about cousins." Becky sighed as she was already in her car with Freddy, opened the window as she was still talking with the dorm trio.

"Even so, I'm glad that we can visit the Authens today, with you and the others, Becks," Ewen chuckled. "Then… see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah…" Unexpectedly, Becky blew a kiss to Ewen, made Damian and Emile looked at them in shock. The brunette just giggled and waved her right hand as her car took her and Freddy home to their respective homes, before she closed the window. "See you tomorrow, Ewen."

"Wait. Ewen, can you explain what just happened here?" asked Damian in disbelief. "Blackbell… She blew a kiss to you, but… why?"

"Well, I guess I'll explain it with you and Emile later." Ewen shrugged. "Let's we walk to the dorm. We need to take a bath before I explain everything."

"Oh, alright then." Emile sighed as they started to walk. "Can I eat some snacks while hearing your explanation then?"

"Emile, do you still want to eat snacks even after you ate that big piece of carrot cake in the dinner?"

"Well, I'll start wearing braces this weekend, so I want to enjoy my last time eating snacks comfortably this entire week."

"No problem, Emile. Just do anything you want." Damian smiled. "Just don't make us in trouble just because of your big appetite to snacks."

"Don't worry. I'll be careful."

.

Later, at the dorm…

After they bathed and changed into their pajamas, Damian, Ewen and Emile wanted to talk about what just happened. Damian sat at his desk, and Emile lounged on his bed with a pack of potato chips. Ewen cleared his throat confidently and explained, "Alright, listen up. Before you two start spinning theories and acting like detectives, let me just say it outright… Becky and I are a step away from officially dating, and we're not hiding it."

Emile blinked, grabbed a potato chip while commented, "Well, that's a direct confession, coming from you."

Damian raised a brow. "You sure about that?"

"Yeah. We both know how we feel, and we're done pretending otherwise." Ewen grinned.

"So what?" Emile mocked. "Did you two just decide to stop playing around and just flirt publicly now?"

"Pretty much." Ewen smirked. "We just decided it this morning."

"Well, that explains the kiss-blowing she gave you moments ago," Damian dryly replied.

Emile grinned as he added, "Yeah, and our suffering watching it unfold."

Ewen couldn't help but laughed. "Look, I get it. You guys don't want to see it, but me and Becky are past that whole awkward stage. If she wants to make fun of me, I'll make fun of her back."

"Hmm…" Damian thoughtfully commented, "Honestly, I respect it."

Emile dramatically sighed as he grabbed more potato chips. "I still need time to process this."

"Well, take all the time you need. Becky and I will be busy enjoying this," said Ewen as he was grinning. "But enough about me. Let's talk about your crushes, specifically the same age crushes."

"No." Damian immediately narrowed his eyes, rejected to talk further.

"What, you think you can just drop a bomb about Blackbell and then not expect retaliation?!" mocked Emile, offended.

Ewen widened his grin. "Exactly. Fair's fair."

Damian sighed. "I don't believe in your concept of fairness."

"Well, we know you have a special someone, Damian." Now Emile was also grinning. "Come on, Damian. Just talk about your crush."

Damian paused, crossed his arms before he mumbled, "No comment."

"So that's a yes." Ewen smirked.

Emile excitedly added, "That's totally a yes!"

"You two are unbearable," grumbled Damian.

Ewen mocked, "And yet, you're not denying it."

Damian muttered, "I hate this."

"Oh, man, this is fantastic." Emile laughed. "Okay, then. It's my turn now. Ewen, can you guess who I like?"

"So, you want me to guess it, huh?" Ewen raised an eyebrow. "That sounds dangerous."

Emile shrugged. "It's fun."

"It's reckless." Damian deadpanned.

Ewen rested his chin on his hand, as if he was thinking about his guess. "Hmm… What if I say Becky just to terrify you?"

Emile suddenly choked on a potato chip. "NO! Absolutely not. God, no. Why should I have a crush on someone who'll be your girlfriend?"

Damian smirked. "Really? That was amusing."

"Okay, okay. Fine. I know you'll say that anyway." Ewen laughed. "But seriously, who is it?"

"Well, let me describe what I like about her." Emile rubbed his neck, grinning like an idiot. "She's fun, hilarious, cute."

"Emile, that's too vague." Damian raised an eyebrow. "Be more specific."

Ewen thought about what Emile said, "Why do I feel that it sounds like…"

"No names!" cut Emile immediately.

"Well, you can say that, Emile, but now I want to guess even more." Ewen grinned.

Emile groaned, "Damn, why do I do this to myself?!"

"Seriously, you both…" Ewen sighed, then smirked. "I just want you both to reveal it. No distractions. No excuses. Just names… or maybe a name if you both have a crush on the same girl."

Damian rejected flatly. "Ewen, that's aggressive."

"Why am I sweating?" asked Emile as he realized that he had finished eating his potato chips.

Ewen pointed out, "You both are just terrified of admitting it."

"Fine. I have a crush." Damian sighed. "There. That's all you get."

"Damian, I want you to say her name," Ewen emphasized, then turned to Emile. "I also want you to say your crush's name, Emile."

Both Damian and Emile looked at each other.

"By the way, Emile, why did you suddenly choke on your own snacks right after I guessed that your crush is Becky?" asked Ewen, genuinely curious. "Is it true that your crush is Becky, but you somehow just want to respect my relationship development with her?"

"Well, yeah…" Emile finally admitted. "But honestly, she wasn't my first crush, because my first crush was someone who… probably is Damian's crush."

"What do you mean with that? I don't even know about your first crush." Damian shrugged.

"So, I had a crush on Anya before Becky…"

Damian flinched.

Ewen whistled, "Wow, now we find out Emile had a crush on Anya before Becky. What a twist."

Emile groaned, "This is humiliating. Now can you just leave me alone here? Both of my crushes are impossible to get though…"

Damian flatly replied, "You brought this upon yourself."

"Don't you hear what Emile said, Damian?" Ewen refused to let him go. "He said that his first crush was someone who probably is your crush…"

"Ewen…"

"So, it's Anya, right?" Ewen smirked. "It can explain your jealousy as well. You have a crush on her."

"Alright, fine. I like her," Damian finally confessed. "I've liked her since I saw her at our entrance ceremony."

"Wait, so you blush when you interact with her because you like her, not because you're mad?" Ewen pointed out. "Honestly, I and Emile have been noticing about it since your dance with her in our sixth end of term gala, because we heard you said to her that she seemed like a princess in that time."

"It's just because of the tiara on her head…" Damian reasoned but then realized that it was useless. "Alright, I complimented her because I like her."

"I know it, and I also know that… Bill Watkins also has a crush on her, right? He threatened you four years ago, when we were studying together in the library, right?"

"How did you know?"

"We saw you approached him, so we left our seats and secretly eavesdropped on your conversation with him."

"I see."

"Alright then, now that we know about your crush, is it better if you confess your feelings towards her as soon as possible?" Ewen suggested. "So that Bill won't have chance to confess his."

"I'll try then, Ewen." Damian smiled. "Thanks for your suggestion."

"You're welcome."

.

Three years later…

"Wait, are you all sure that it's okay for me to have some tea with all of you here before our class? I'm not an Imperial Scholar anyway," asked Elma uncertainly as her new boyfriend, Emile, asked her to hang out with him, Anya, Becky, Damian and Ewen in their morning tea at the school garden.

"It's okay, Elma. We don't mind if you want to join us," Ewen assured. "You know what? Even Emile himself often asks Elaine - his younger sister - to join us here, and for your information, she still needs to get one more Stella Star to become an Imperial Scholar. You can come here as long as you're with us."

"Oh, okay then." Elma finally smiled, then sat down beside her boyfriend. "So that's why Emile confessed his feelings to me here…"

"Yup! We allowed him to invite you here last week, so you both could enjoy your favorite cheesecake and start dating." Ewen nodded. "Welcome to the gang, Elma."

"Well, thanks for the invitation," Elma said, picking up the teapot and pouring some into her cup. She smiled appreciatively. "This is delicious. The aroma is so soothing."

"Mr. Henderson gave the blend to us. It's his favorite blend after all, so no wonder if it tastes elegant." Becky giggled. "Well, he did give it to us to energize us and make us more productive at school."

"I'm glad that we don't need to wear our cloaks here." Ewen sighed. "That cloak costs many responsibilities and commitments."

"Yeah, we have so many duties to do, and it's frustrating sometimes," Becky admitted. "That's why, we need to have some tea here, to enjoy ourselves."

"I see." Elma nodded.

"Alright then, here's the tea cakes!" exclaimed Emile as he put a box of tea cakes onto the table. "Elaine helped me finding the recipe, so we don't need to buy tea cakes anymore. I can make all of these."

"Oh, that's our Emile, the genius would be pastry chef!" Damian complimented. He took one of the tea cakes and commented, "Hmm, these are much better than the ones we used to buy."

"Aww, this one has a strong cocoa flavor." Anya smiled happily as she munched one of them. "Maybe we should consider having some hot cocoa here as well, sometimes."

"Suggestion accepted!" Ewen flicked his fingers. "It won't ever be boring for us."

"I'd appreciate it if we could get some coffee here too." Damian shrugged. "That's more effective for me."

"Eh? Coffee?" asked Elma curiously.

"Well, Damian is the first one from five of us who became an Imperial Scholar, so… his duties are obviously the most one between us," Emile explained. "He needs more than just a cup of tea to energize himself."

"Yeah, and that's why, he prefers coffee," Becky continued.

"You're right, Blackbell. It's just my preferences." Damian sighed, "Coffee is bitter, but it helps me much to focus on all of my duties."

"You know what? Your personal preferences make you and Anya-chan becomes a bitter-sweet couple. Got it? Because of the bitter coffee and the sweet cocoa."

"I think it keeps us both balanced, me and Anya, and that's a good thing," said Damian confidently, calmly argued with his half cousin. "I and Anya are a balance couple, Blackbell."

"I know you both are, Damian." Ewen smiled. "Then, what do you think about me and Becky?"

"Hmm, I guess you both are a dramatic couple," Damian opined. "I mean, I still remember when Blackbell blew a kiss to you three years ago, even before you both started dating in the tenth grade."

"Wait a minute. I don't know about that." Anya shook her head. "When did that happen?"

"It was right after we visited your house, when you just recently moved there, Anya," Damian explained. "Right before we walked back to the dorm, Blackbell blew a kiss to Ewen."

"Wait, didn't Freddy tell you about that?" asked Emile. "He's your cousin anyway, and Blackbell took him home with her car. He saw the incident."

"Ah, so that's what he means by saying that both Becky and Ewen have a good chemistry, huh…" Anya nodded. "He didn't explicitly tell me about the kiss-blowing, though…"

"Anyways, how about me and Elma? What kind of couple are we?" Emile turned to Damian.

"Well, you and Eglantine, huh…" Damian hardly thought. "You guys just started dating recently, so I'm still not sure…"

"I know! Emile and Elma are a peaceful couple, just like Chichi and Haha!" Anya exclaimed. "Because your love unites both Ostania and Westalis."

"Oh, I agree with you, Anya." Damian smiled. "And that sounds good as well. A peaceful couple…"

All of them then sighed in relief, before they talked about something else.

Chapter 6: Is He Really Dangerous? Anya's Nightmare

Summary:

After successfully hide the truth about her another cousin in the last three years, Anya suddenly gets a terrifying nightmare that Tertius would help Simon Strauss to kidnap her, take her back to be experimented again. When she tells Loid about the said nightmare, the former spy persuades his adopted daughter that he won't ever let Simon Strauss touch her anymore.

Notes:

Here it is, the start of the sequel part of this story.
I initially wanted to title this sequel part as 'The Caldwell Conspiracy', but because I decided to add the idea for the sequel here, the title was not used.

Happy Reading!

'It's been three years, huh?'

Anya sighed, as she thought about the secret that she had been keeping in the last three years while she laid on her bed, looked at the ceiling.

"Well, I had promised Mama not to tell Tertius about the secret, but I still felt that it wasn't the right solution.' Anya sighed. 'He needs to know about us.'

"Why should we keep it as a secret? Tertius is a nice boy, and he really wants to meet his aunt. He wants to meet mama, but why?" Anya murmured, talked to herself. "Is it just because mama is a concubine's daughter? Or else, is there a secret about them which can affect the kingdom? But what is it?"

'Is it dangerous for her to be found by the kingdom? Is it just like… if Simon Strauss and his mysterious organization could have a chance to take me away from my family again?'

Anya yawned. Her emeralds felt heavy as she sensed the sleepiness took over her. 'Well, it's time to sleep now.'

She closed her eyes and slept peacefully for a while, before she suddenly felt something different around her.

.

She couldn't feel her comfy bed, as her back felt cold. Her eyes opened widely as she realized that she wasn't in her room anymore, and now she laid on a metallic surface instead of her own bed - a cold metal table.

She felt her stomach twisted as she recognized the place.

The unnatural cold that she could feel in that room… it was unmistakably familiar…

She was back in the lab.

'But how? Why?'

Anya shivered, instinctively wanted to move her arms and legs, but unfortunately, she couldn't. Her wrists and ankles were strapped down against the table below her, as the familiar scent of disinfectant stinging her nose.

'No way! Who did bring me here? Did they kidnap me like what they did thirteen years ago? But… how can? The situation is much safer now, but… how can I…'

The hum of a machine thrummed softly in the background, steady and mechanical.

"That machine…" she whispered. "No way. I don't like that machine."

"I know that, but I suggest you like it more now, because I'll attach it to you more often, from now on," replied a calm, detached voice. "Welcome back, Subject 007."

'No, it's him!' Recognizing the old man's voice, Anya quickly thrashed, but the straps wouldn't budge. Her heartbeat pounded against her ribs, and as the shadows sharpened around her, she saw him.

Simon Strauss, Sigmund Authen's former colleague who also formed a mysterious organization which experimented on children to 'conquer the peace', stood beside the table, near the experiment console.

"How do you feel now, laying onto that table?" asked him as he watched her with eerie patience. "I just want to remind you about your own fate, that you should be here forever. You're just my subject, and I can do anything to you."

"No! Give me back to my family! You're Grandpa Siggy's friend, right? How can you…"

"Sigmund isn't my friend anymore." Strauss shook his head. "I don't care if his son blames him again this time, and of course, I don't care if the Authens are broken now, that you're here."

"You'll regret it, because all of them will find me here. I have a big family, and it's not only the Authens. My uncle, my aunt, Chichi's father, Jinan, Freddy, and all of my best friends…"

"Oh, are you referring to your friends at school? At Eden College?" Strauss smirked. "Thanks to your Mama's secret, I can bring you back here, with some help from someone in that school."

"What do you mean?"

"The King asked me to bring you here," another familiar voice interrupted, as its owner walked into the room and stood up beside Strauss. It was Tertius.

His expression was unreadable. He crossed his arms and relaxed his posture, as if he belonged to the lab as well.

"Tertius… Did you really…" Anya whispered. "But why? We're cousins, and I heard from Freddy that you…"

"I just obeyed my father," said the prince coldly.

"Alright then, enough with the small talk. It's time to turn the machine on." Strauss pressed something on the console, and suddenly, Anya could feel the restrains tightened. A needle lowered toward her skin, sharp and glinting under sterile, white light.

Anya screamed as the shadows consumed her…

.

Her body jerked upright in bed. Her hands clutched the blanket like an anchor. She could feel her clammy skin as she raggedly breathed.

For a few terrible seconds, she was still there, on the cold table.

Still strapped down. Still helpless.

But when she finally moved her own fingers, gripped the fabric beneath her hands, reality settled in.

She was safe. She was at home, in her comfortable bedroom, and what she saw just recently was just a nightmare…

"Why did it feel so real? It's so scary…" she murmured. She tried to calm herself as she took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, repeatedly…

It didn't really work though, as her hands were still shaking.

'I guess I need to drink something.'

Finally, she pushed off her blanket and stepped out of her room, spotted Loid in the living room when she walked to the kitchen.

"Anya? Why don't you sleep in your room?" asked Loid. "What happened?"

"Well, I…" Anya hesitated, but then she sighed and continued, "I just had a nightmare."

"Alright, then…" Loid nodded as he followed her to the kitchen and offered, "Should I make a cup of hot cocoa for you? You don't need to talk about your nightmare, but at least, let me help you to calm down."

Anya smiled weakly as she replied. "Thanks, Chichi."

"No problem. I also want to drink a cup of coffee anyway…"

"Don't drink coffee, Chichi. Just make two cups of hot cocoa for us." Anya crossed her arms. "You are no longer a spy, so please, have enough sleep."

"I understand. Then, I'll make two cups of hot cocoa. The milky sweet one for you and the bitter plain one for me." Loid took their cups from the counter. "Just wait for me in the living room, then we drink the hot cocoa there."

"Okay."

The pinkette moved to the living room as Loid started boiling the water and heating the milk.

A few minutes later, they sipped their hot cocoa silently, as both of them sat down onto the sofa. Anya's hands were still trembling when she gripped her cup of cocoa, but she could manage to not spill the hot beverage to anywhere.

"It still can't make you calm down completely," Loid commented. "Is your nightmare… that terrible?"

"I think so, because… Tertius helped Strauss to bring me back to him there, in my nightmare," Anya admitted.

"Wait a minute. Tertius? As in… the Prince of Septevia?"

Anya nodded. "He said that his father asked him to assist Strauss, so…"

"His father, huh?" Loid sighed. "Anya, don't be afraid, because I can assure you that your nightmare will never come true."

"Are you sure, Chichi?" Anya whispered her question. "What if the King really asked him to do that only because he found out that I'm mama's daughter?"

Loid put his cup onto the table before patted her shoulders. "Listen to me. No one is taking you back there. Not that Simon Strauss. Not anyone. You already know about the Intelligence Alliances, right? There's Agent Shadow from NICE, the one who rescued you eleven years ago. Now he works together with everyone in the alliances to look for Simon Strauss everywhere. Even Handler and my father contacted the Shopkeeper, Yor's former boss, to ask some of the Garden's assassins to look for him as well. They're even determined to kill him."

"Really?"

Loid nodded.

"Is it a promise that I'll still be safe here?"

"Of course, Anya. You'll be safe," assured Loid softly. "All of us will protect you at all costs."

Just then, Anya finally smiled, as her hands stopped shaking. "Alright then, I trust you."

Both of them then returned to their own room after they finished the hot cocoa and Loid washed their cups.

Chapter 7: The Support

Summary:

Over their morning tea on the next day, Anya confides in Damian and the others about her unsettling nightmare. They then assure her that the nightmare is nothing more than a dream, offering comfort to the pinkette. Meanwhile, Loid reports about the same thing to the Intelligence Alliances, only to be met with an unexpected revelation from Andrew, also known as Agent Shadow, about something that changes everything…

The garden of the Cecile Hall's building at Eden College was bathed in soft morning light. Anya, Becky, Damian, Ewen and Emile sat together at their usual table, teacups steaming as they enjoyed a rare peaceful moment before classes.

"Elma told me that some of her relatives came to her home from Westalis yesterday, so she might take her breakfast a bit longer at home this morning," Emile explained as he put a box of tea cakes onto the table. "I asked Elaine to join with us, but she refused it, because she wants to do a school project with her friends."

"Well, so now it's only five of us again, huh?" Damian stated, poured the tea into his cup. "Well, it's alright, though…"

He exhaled, stirred his tea absentmindedly while trying to appear indifferent, even though he noticed something wrong about his girlfriend.

"Great! Another peaceful morning with tea and some tea cakes." Becky added sugar to her tea. "We need these before we walk into those classes and face the upcoming tests."

"Yeah, I agree with you, Becks." Ewen smiled, then asked Emile, "What's your opinion about the upcoming tests, Emile?"

"I guess we'll do our best in those tests and get some good scores," Emile surely replied. "But for now, five of us just need to be relax here."

Anya sat still, her hands wrapped tightly around her cup as she was staring into the swirling surface of her tea. The warmth against her fingertips grounded her, but the memory of her nightmare from last night still lingered, clinging to her thoughts like an unsettling shadow.

As it was unusual for Anya to keep silent in their morning tea session, Becky, Ewen and Emile then realized about Damian's glances toward her. Becky couldn't help but asked her best friend in concern, "Anya-chan, you good? You've barely said anything since we sat down here."

"Well…" Anya blinked, then gave a small nodded as she continued. "I just… had a bad dream last night."

"You mean, a nightmare?" Damian frowned. "What was it about?"

"Yeah, it was about… Simon Strauss." Anya slowly answered.

The name sent a ripple through the group. Damian stiffened, while Becky's eyes widened in alarm. Ewen and Emile even exchanged nervous glances.

"Wait, that old man?" Emile leaned forward as he took one of his handmade tea cakes. "The one who… took you away from the Authens and… experimented on you when you were a kid?"

Anya nodded as her hands were gripping the cup tighter. "There, he took me back. I was tied down onto a big table, and…" She swallowed, her throat dry despite the tea as she added, "Tertius helped him."

A sharp silence fell over the table.

"Tertius?" Damian's voice was sharp with disbelief as he asked, "You mean… Prince Tertius of Septevia? But he's your cousin, right?"

She nodded once again, explained, "He said his father ordered him to do it, and that's what scared me the most."

Becky patted the pinkette's shoulders as her expression softened. "That's such a horrible nightmare. No wonder you're so shaken."

"But that sounds ridiculous." Damian crossed his arms tightly. "That's impossible. We haven't told him yet. It was just your nightmare, Anya."

"But it felt real, Jinan," replied Anya softly. "I woke up sweating, shaking. I told Chichi about the nightmare, and he promised me that Simon Strauss would never reach me again, but… I don't know." She looked up at them, "What if…"

"No. Absolutely not." Damian's sudden intensity made everyone pause. He leaned forward as his usual bravado replaced with something raw. "That's never happening. I don't care what that nightmare tries to tell you, Anya. No one is taking you back there. No one."

Ewen and Emile nodded firmly. "We'd fight him off ourselves if we had to," Emile said, trying to sound tough despite his shaky voice.

Becky held Anya's hands. "You're safe, Anya-chan. The Authens, us… We'd never let that nightmare become real."

Anya swallowed hard. Their unwavering support made something inside her loosen, just a little. "Thanks, guys."

"Well, I'm your boyfriend anyway, so… it's just a common sense for me to protect you," Damian reasoned. "Of course, I care about you."

"Wow, ever since you both started dating, you clearly show your care towards Anya-chan, Damian." Becky smirked. "Now you're really changed, huh?"

"So? Is it a problem for you, Blackbell?" Damian retorted. "It's my duty as a good boyfriend."

Anya finally could smile a little. The nightmare was still there, but the warmth of their words pushed it back, just a bit further.

"So… are we actually thinking of telling Tertius about that secret we already keep in these three years? Along with Anya's nightmare?" asked Ewen. "That way, we can see if he possibly will do that for real or not."

"Would that even do anything?" Becky frowned, setting her empty cup down onto the table. "I mean, let's just say we let Tertius know about Auntie Amanda and Anya-chan, then we tell him about Anya-chan's nightmare… What's he supposed to say then?"

Anya sighed. "It's not that simple. I told the rest of my family about my nightmare as well in our breakfast today, then persuaded Mama to let me tell Tertius about the secret, but… she even said that it was better for him not to know about the secret, so that I'll be safe from him."

The pinkette traced the rim of her teacup absentmindedly. "Also, the dream felt too real. What if it means something dangerous will happen if we let Tertius know about the secret? Well, I know about his conversation with Freddy three years ago, but… this nightmare…"

"So, you're saying it's a sign? A warning?" asked Damian uncertainly. "That you even need to keep the secret more to keep yourself safe?"

"I don't know, Jinan." Anya shrugged. "But how if he really was involved with Simon Strauss?"

Damian clenched his fists. "Anya, maybe Tertius is such a royal pain, but I don't think he'd sell out his own cousin. Freddy did say to you that Tertius told him that he wanted to meet his aunt. He wanted to know, but his father forbids him. If he was looking for his aunt only to do something like what he did in your nightmare, is it more reasonable for his father to support him?"

"Oh, that's assuming he even could resist if his father ordered him to, because he just wants the best for his aunt and her family," Becky pointed out. "The problem is that, if we told him about the nightmare…"

"Oh yeah, it also means that we would tell him about the kidnapping and the experiment." Ewen sighed, then exchanged a glance with Emile. "He definitely doesn't know about those things that happened with Anya, and if we told him…"

Emile nodded. "It would be dangerous for both Anya and Tertius himself."

"Hmm…" The five teenagers thought about their decision carefully, but then the bell rang before they could decide anything.

"Well, we'll talk about it later. We need to attend our Homeroom Session now." Anya sighed.

.

A few hours later, in one of WISE's safe house in Ostania…

This morning, right after Anya departed from their house, Loid called Sylvia and told her about Anya's nightmare, asked the information about the possibility that the King of Septevia funded the 'conquer the peace' movement. Moments later, she called him back and asked him to come to the safe house, to attend the Intelligence Alliances meeting on that day, because Agent Shadow from NICE told her that he needed to inform everyone, especially Loid, about something important.

"Don't you have idea about the information that he wants to share to me, Sylvia?" asked Loid when they were waiting for Agent Shadow, or Andrew, to arrive there.

"I'm not really sure, but I guess it's about the same information which you asked me this morning." Sylvia shrugged. "However, we still don't have idea about Simon Strauss's whereabouts, along with the location of his new facility. We don't even know how many facilities he uses to continue his dangerous experiments."

"Then, what do you think about Anya's nightmare last night? Should we investigate the third prince of Septevia so that we can find out whether his father is involved with Simon Strauss or not?"

"Well, I asked some Agents to observe the boy at the Specter Hall's dorm in Eden College, right after you called me this morning, but it seems like, he doesn't even know that his aunt is your adoptive brother's wife. He's clean."

"That's because Amanda asked all of us not to tell him about the family connection," Loid admitted. "It's been three years since we found out about it from Freddy."

"Oh, my would-be grandson, I see." Sylvia nodded.

"Wait, are you really dating my father?" asked Loid in disbelief. "Seriously, Sylvia. Are you really want to be my second stepmother?"

"Actually, I used to dismiss the idea, but your father isn't really that bad. He treats me well, and I love him now." Sylvia smiled. "Besides, I want to know what it's like to have a son. Especially, a son like you."

"Well, it's up to you then." Loid sighed.

"Anyways, you don't need to worry about Anya," Sylvia assured. "As you can see here, the Intelligence Alliances is actively searching for Simon Strauss, and also, protecting Anya wherever she is."

"Alright then, I trust you." The former spy then shifted his attention to a couple who sat down beside him, "Now, what happened here? I can understand about Fiona-kun attending this meeting, but… do we need to have Franky here?"

"Hey, Mr. Loid, what's with your words? They invite me here, to give them some info, so I come. It's just that simple," replied Franky casually. "I also want to accompany you to your house after this meeting, so I can offer some self-protection devices to your daughter…"

"Rejected," cut Loid immediately. "Most of your inventions are fail."

"What's with that? I just want to help your daughter, as her best uncle."

"Excuse me. Did someone say best uncle?" retorted Yuri as he just walked into the meeting room with Chloe and Chief Klaus. "I'm her best uncle, not you."

"Are you kidding me? In which part of the world does an uncle call his niece by an animal name?" Franky shook his head. "Also, Loid and Yor always ask me to take care of their beloved daughter whenever they go on a date or have something else to do at the same time, while you were only asked to teach her once."

"Oh, come on. You both are good uncles for Anya." Chloe sighed. "That's why we're here now."

"Nice to see you here, Chloe Briar," greeted Fiona. "It seems like, we'll have kids the same age."

"Oh, are you also pregnant?" Chloe noticed the similar bumps at their bellies. "Nice to see you too, Fiona Franklin."

"By the way, son, do you have idea about the information that Andrew will share with us here?" asked Chief Klaus to Loid.

"I don't know. He just asked Sylvia to invite me to this meeting." Loid shrugged. "Also, speaking about Sylvia, I heard that you both are dating. Is it true?"

"She doesn't lie." confirmed the old man. "Moreover, it's not wrong for us to love each other."

"Well, she used to be a sister figure for me, so… it feels like, your relationship increases the age gap between me and her." Loid deadpanned.

"Ah, sorry for coming late!" greeted Andrew who just arrived there. "Nice to see you here, Loid. I heard that your daughter got a terrible nightmare last night, didn't she?"

"Yeah, and I heard that you have an important information to share here, which I need to know, don't you?" asked Loid back.

"Yup!" Andrew sat down onto his seat. "Alright then, let's just talk about the news."

"Is it better if you stand up there while sharing the news to us?" Sylvia suggested.

"Well, if you insist." Andrew stood up, exhaled slowly. His eyes were scanning the assembled intelligence officers before he started, "Yesterday morning, at precisely 06:43, Simon Strauss made his move."

A murmur rippled through the room. Some leaned forward, others exchanged glances.

'That's the devil!' Loid thought. 'I'm not feeling good about this.'

"And yeah, his target is Anya Authen, previously known as Anna Authen or Anya Forger."

Loid's fingers curled subtly against his sleeve. His posture remained composed, but those who know him well would spot the fractional shift in his gaze, a sign that he was calculating, measuring the implications.

Andrew continued with a calm voice, which cutting through the silence like a blade.

"Strauss orchestrated a low-profile abduction attempt, leveraging a diversion two blocks from Eden College. He expected minimal interference, thought he could slip through our surveillance grid unnoticed." Andrew paused, then slid a folder across the desk toward the Intelligence Alliances' senior officers as he added, "But luckily, he underestimated us."

Loid opened the folder and found some photographs. Grainy but clear enough to see: a black vehicle, doors ajar. A blurred silhouette in mid-action - a lone figure intercepting the operation, dismantling it within seconds.

Andrew rested his hands against the table as some people noticed a faint scar along his knuckles.

"I neutralized Strauss's team before they could reach the extraction point. He fled, but he won't get far. In conclusion, this attempt will not be his last."

A slow, weighted silence followed.

Loid exhaled through his nose, barely audible. His mind was already racing through contingency plans, calculating Strauss's next move, analyzing where the gaps were - where they must not exist again.

"We need to assume Strauss will escalate. He won't risk another quiet attempt," Andrew continued. "He knows we're watching, and next time, he won't be alone."

"What a coincidence," Franky suddenly spoke. "Look, I hate to break up this whole 'strategic genius' thing you all got going on, but uh… Simon Strauss? He's not done."

Yuri scoffed. "And why exactly should we care what you think?"

"Fiona, give the paper to Loid, please?"

"Hmm? What is this?" asked Loid as Fiona pulled a crumpled piece of paper from her jacket and gave it to him. A handwritten list. Contacts. Locations. Codes.

"Franky got it last night. Underground chatter said Strauss was already looking for new assets before his plan even failed," explained Fiona.

Loid scanned the paper swiftly, then his gaze hardened.

Andrew tilted his head, checked the note before he returned it to Loid and asked Franky. "Where did you get this?"

Franky shrugged. "Let's just say people talk when you know where to listen. Strauss's crew was sloppy - they tried recruiting mercenaries out of an old hideout in East Berlint. Word travels fast when you're stupid."

A quiet tension settled over the room. The operatives realized what Franky was saying: Strauss wasn't just regrouping. He was accelerating.

Loid spoke first, measured. "If this intel is accurate, Strauss has already arranged secondary extraction routes. Meaning…" He exhaled subtly as his eyes were darting between the gathered officials. "Anya isn't just in danger. She's already marked for a second attempt."

Franky crossed his arms, feigning casual confidence, but his eyes betrayed his genuine concern. "Look, I might not be a fancy spy, but even I know when someone isn't planning to quit. If you all don't act fast, you won't be stopping a future attempt. You'll be reacting to one that's already begun."

"Then, let's we discuss about our next strategy," Sylvia decided. "Chief Klaus, we need to tighten the security around Eden College and Authen's Penthouse. We need to make sure that Strauss and his people…"

Meanwhile, Loid pocketed the note from Franky and Fiona. His expression was unreadable, but the faintest nod of acknowledgement passed between them.

"I owe you one, Franky."

Franky let out an exaggerated sigh, rolled his shoulders as he replied, "Yeah, yeah. Just remember this next time I need a favor."

Notes:

The 11th grade chronological order:
- Damian's Confession (Authenticating the Forgers chapter 6): 1st Monday of the 1st Term in 11th Grade.
- Emile & Elma's 1st Meeting (Authenticating the Forgers chapter 7): 1st Tuesday of the 1st Term in 11th Grade.
- Emile's Confession (Authenticating the Forgers chapter 7): 1st Friday of the 1st Term in 11th Grade.
- Elma's First Morning Tea (Cousins chapter 5) = Strauss's Failed Attempt: 2nd Monday of the 1st Term in 11th Grade.
- This chapter: 2nd Tuesday of the 1st Term in 11th Grade.

Chapter 8: The Unexpected Things

Summary:

Unexpectedly, Freddy witnessed something serious on the way to school, but he was too afraid to tell his grandfather about it, so he decided to tell his recent best friend, Tertius. Coincidentally, Tertius told him about something else which definitely related with his discovery, which finally confirmed his intention to reveal the three-year secret to his best friend.

On the next day, when they take their lunch in the canteen, they approach Anya and the others right when they talk about Tertius. The two boys then join in the conversation and add some unexpected facts…

Yesterday, at 06:43…

The crisp morning air carried the scent of fresh bread and damp stone as Freddy hurried through the quiet streets near Eden College. As an Imperial Scholar, he was late for his turn to do the morning inspection duty. His shoelaces were barely tied and his schoolbag swung awkwardly against his side. He didn't wear his cape as he left it in his locker at school.

It was a normal morning for him, until he saw a van.

It wasn't just any van - black, idling too long at the curb, its doors slightly ajar.

Freddy froze. His stomach twisted as an old man stepped forward.

He recognized the man from an old photo he saw three years ago, when the Authens told him about their family history, about their peaceful life in Covenia before this old man started his movement and kidnapped their youngest member at the moment.

It was him. Simon Strauss.

The name alone made his blood run cold. Freddy had seen the haunted look in his cousin's eyes - in Anya's eyes, when she spoke about the past she rarely acknowledged.

And now Strauss was here, looking at the school gate where Anya was talking to her boyfriend and their best friends.

Freddy didn't know about the girl beside Emile though, but now he knew that all six of them were in danger.

Suddenly, the door behind him swung open, and movement from the corner of his vision made him whip his head to the side.

Andrew, also known as Agent Shadow from NICE.

He moved before Freddy could even process it - a blur of force and precision. His body cut through the morning stillness like a blade, crashing into the nearest masked figure with unrelenting speed.

The mercenary barely had time to react before Andrew sent him sprawling to the pavement. Freddy flinched at the sharp crack of knuckles meeting ribs, the thud of a body hitting concrete.

Strauss reeled back, his plan unraveling in real time. He gestured sharply to his remaining men - move, regroup - but Andrew was already upon them.

Another man swung a baton, but Andrew ducked low, twisted - then sent the weapon flying with a single calculated motion. The mercenary staggered, his retreat cut short as Andrew drove him back with a brutal precision that spoke of years of experience.

Freddy just stood there as he watched all of those actions.

His fingers were curled tightly around the strap of his bag, his legs locked in place, but his mind was screaming at him to run. To call for help. To do something.

Then Andrew turned, catching sight of him.

Freddy could barely register the sharpness in the man's gaze - the unspoken warning.

"Go!" Andrew commanded with a steady voice despite the chaos around him. "Now!"

Freddy didn't need to be told twice. He ran through the school gate - fortunately the six teenagers weren't there as he ran.

And though the morning continued with the morning inspection duty and the ring of the school bell, Freddy certainly knew one thing.

This wasn't over.

.

"Oh, before we go and meet the Authens, I need to address a security matter," said Andrew when the meeting was over and some of them prepared to go to the Authen's Penthouse. He turned to Chief Klaus before unexpectedly added, "It's about Freddy Klaus."

The slight pause in Klaus's movements was nearly imperceptible, but Andrew caught it.

Chief Klaus exchanged a glance with his son, Loid, before he turned to Andrew and asked, "What about my grandson?"

Andrew exhaled slowly. "He saw everything."

A beat of silence stretched across the room before murmurs broke out. A few exchanged glances, others leaned forward, listening intently.

"Hmm…" Sylvia paused before she murmured, "I guess it can be a problem…"

Yuri frowned. "Well, Strauss likely didn't notice him, but if he starts asking questions…"

Andrew nodded. "Exactly. He's perceptive, and he won't let this go easily."

Klaus pressed his fingertips together, deep in thought. He knew better than anyone what was at stake. Freddy wasn't just any civilian - he was sharp, and more importantly, he was family.

"Alright then, I'll handle it," Klaus exclaimed, his voice cutting through the discussion with absolute finality.

The murmurs died instantly.

"Do you think he'll listen?" Andrew asked, keeping his tone measured.

Klaus replied certainly as he met his gaze. "He will."

But they both knew this wasn't just about Freddy listening to his grandfather's warning.

It was about protecting him before he became a target.

.

Meanwhile, at the lunch time in the First Canteen at Eden College…

"If you five can easily tell me about it, then why do you guys hesitate to say it to him?" asked Elma as she frowned, right after Emile told her about the gang's discussion in their morning tea session this morning, about whether they should tell Tertius about his missing aunt or not.

"Well, I already told you that I promised to Mama, that I won't ever tell him about the secret." Anya sighed, took a spoon of her omurice before she added, "Even so, I couldn't help but curious at the same time."

"I still think it'll be safe for us to tell him." Damian rested his chin on his hand, before he reached for his cutlery and added, "Then we explain it to Auntie Amanda, that we don't have another choice but to tell Tertius about the secret."

"Well, you can say that Damian, but what if… Simon Strauss was really in Berlint right now, and planned to take Anya away from the Authens once again…" Ewen exchanged a glance with Emile before he continued, "Even if Tertius wasn't involved as his ally, he probably would become a target as well, right?"

"Hmm…" Damian paused before he shrugged, continued cutting his schnitzel. "We can't be sure until we can confirm it, though…"

"It's about the situation. We don't really know about the recent condition, especially, about Simon Strauss's whereabouts," Becky countered. "Should we contact the Intelligence Alliances now? They might know something about the mad scientist."

"I guess I'll ask Chichi then," Anya murmured quietly. "Who knows that they contact him to share something unexpected."

"Then, how about Tertius? I already give my opinion, but the decision is still up to you," asked Damian to his girlfriend. "You have right to obey your mother's demand, anyway. We can't force you."

"That's right." Becky nodded. "It's your right to tell him, Anya-chan, because he's your cousin."

Suddenly, two unexpected people walked towards their table, then one of them asked, "Are six of you talking about me?"

"Tertius!" Anya surprisingly called. "And Freddy too. Why do you both come to us here?"

Freddy didn't wait. "I guess all of us need to talk now. I already told Tertius about the secret yesterday."

"What? But why?" asked Anya, didn't understand. "Freddy, don't you remember that we promised to Mama about the secret?"

"Simon Strauss tried to kidnap you yesterday," said Freddy as he crossed his arms. "Fortunately, a spy interrupted him. He saved you."

"He… tried to kidnap me again? But I…"

"I guess his position was still far enough from you, so you couldn't read his mind, but it's true. He looked at you six when all of you were talking at the school gate." Freddy recalled, cut what Anya said. "I wanted to tell you all about it right away yesterday, but… just when I wanted to approach you all in your morning tea session, I heard you talked about kiss-blowing, then mentioned peace, so… I thought it would be better for me to just let you all have a relax time yesterday morning."

"Freddy…"

"Then, I coincidentally met Tertius at the courtyard after lunch, and I told him about the failed attempt, but then… he told me about something suspicious about his father."

"Suspicious?" Damian's eyes narrowed. "How suspicious?"

"Well, I unintentionally heard his conversation with an old man named Strauss by phone, when I spent the recent vacation in my kingdom. He said to the old man that he would fund his research, but in return, the old man should help him eliminate the obstacle," Tertius explained.

"Wait. He talked with an old man named Strauss by phone about research and… an obstacle?" asked Becky in disbelief. "Then not so long after that, there was a kidnapping attempt yesterday…"

"So, it's really possible for your father to get involved in the next kidnapping attempt, right?" asked Ewen to the prince. "Even so, if your father asks you, will you help the old man to kidnap Anya?"

"Of course, not," Tertius confidently replied. "Well, yes, he's my father, but if he wants to harm my cousin, I definitely will turn against him."

"By the way, why did you ask, Ewen?" asked Freddy. "Did something happen?"

"Actually, I had a nightmare last night," Anya admitted. "There, Tertius helped Simon Strauss to kidnap me."

"Anya, I won't ever do that to you." Tertius shook his head. "I'm looking for you and my aunt to make sure that you're okay, not to help my ambitious father to hurt his older sister."

"No, wait. Do you want to say that Mama is… your father's older sister? But Mama said that her mother… I mean, my grandmother wasn't important for them."

"Well, she was supposed to be the Queen when our grandfather became the King, but… our great grandfather preferred my grandmother over yours as his legitimate daughter in law, just because she gave him a male offspring," explained Tertius uncomfortably. "That's why, our grandfather divorced with your grandmother."

"Wow. That's why, Mama told me that she would explain her reason someday, when I was old enough to understand that our great grandfather is… that discriminative." Anya sighed. "Our family condition is really that complicated…"

Chapter 9: The Strong Protection

Summary:

With the revelation of the secrets between the cousins, all people around Anya do their best to give her the strongest protection against Simon Strauss. Meanwhile, Chief Klaus warns Freddy to be careful as well, because of the possibilities of him being the next target.

Yesterday, after lunch…

The courtyard was quieter than usual - almost unnaturally so. The faint breeze rustled the leaves of the old oak towering near the stone pathway, carrying the scent of damp earth and freshly cut grass. Freddy sat stiffly on the marble bench, his hands clasped tightly together, his gaze fixed on the distance as if the answer to all his problems lay somewhere beyond the treetops.

Tertius approached cautiously, noticing the weight in Freddy's posture, the slight tremor in his fingers as he exhaled. The Imperial Scholar was rarely this unsettled.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Tertius remarked, sliding onto the bench beside him. "Did something happen?"

Freddy's jaw tightened before he finally turned to his friend, searching his expression as if testing whether he could bear the truth. "I already told you about Anya being my cousin, right?"

Tertius nodded. "You did. You somehow told me about her adoptive father being your uncle, and his adoptive brother is her biological father, but you didn't really tell me the details about the Authens. You only said that she was kidnapped by an old scientist when she was still two years old."

"Well, it's related with my story about her." Freddy paused before he added, "I saw that scientist this morning, near the school gate."

Tertius stiffened. "Wait. So, the scientist is looking for her again, isn't he? Are you certain that who you saw was really him?"

Freddy gave a short, hollow laugh. "I wished I wasn't, but… I'm perfectly sure. It was definitely him." His fingers curled around the fabric of his uniform pants. "He was watching Anya with all of her best friends - Damian, Becky, Ewen, Emile, and… a girl from the student exchange program, I presume? Anyway, it wasn't just curiosity. He had men with him. He prepared to make a move."

Silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.

Tertius rubbed his temple, staring at Freddy like he was trying to piece together a puzzle that suddenly had missing edges. "Why are you only telling me now? Both of us were in the same class in the first period this morning."

"Because chemistry is my favorite subject, so I automatically focused on it."

"Well, could you just tell it before the teacher walked into the class? Don't you try to warn Anya about this? Or… Don't you trust yourself to warn her? Or else, don't you trust her at all?" asked Tertius, didn't understand.

Freddy shook his head. "No. I mean, I wanted to try warning her this morning, but I just can't, somehow. I do think she can be trust, because it's her own problem anyway." He exhaled. "I meant… everyone. The adults. The people who think they know best." He scoffed. "Like my grandfather. He'd probably lock me in the house just to keep me safe."

Tertius remained quiet for a moment before finally spoke, "Then, why me?"

Freddy turned, fixing him with a searching look. "Because I told you about my secrets, and you understand it," he murmured. "It's also because… you told me yours as well."

"You're right," Tertius finally said. "If the scientist really tried to take Anya this morning, it means this isn't over."

Freddy nodded. "I don't think it ever was. Her grandfather said that Simon Strauss is stubborn."

"Wait, so his name is Simon Strauss? Why do I feel that my father was involved now?"  Tertius suddenly remembered something which happened during his vacation in his kingdom.

"Your father?" Freddy frowned, as he still remembered about the only secret he didn't share with the third prince. "Now what did he do?"

"I heard him speaking on the phone during my recent visit to my kingdom in the school vacation," said Tertius in a low voice. "It was late at night, and I wasn't supposed to be eavesdropping, but… something about his tone made me stop."

Freddy leaned forward, sensing the shift - the way Tertius's fingers curled slightly around the sleeve of his uniform as if holding onto something invisible.

"What did he say?" Freddy prompted.

Tertius exhaled. "He was talking to an old man. He called him 'Strauss'…"

"Damn," cut Freddy, who then realized that his best friend was still explaining. "Ah, sorry. Please continue."

Tertius nodded. "I didn't think much of it at first, but then he said something about funding a research project." His jaw tightened. "And in exchange… that old man would help him eliminate an obstacle."

"Hmm… An obstacle… Strauss…"

"What do you think? I'm not really sure if the obstacle that my father meant was… Anya? But the old man named Strauss probably…"

"In that case, I guess I need to tell you something, about the details of the Authens." Freddy finally decided. "It's time to tell you the truth."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Tertius frowned.

"It's about Anya's biological mother." Freddy paused, shook his head, then added, "Actually, she's your aunt. I found it out three years ago, that her maiden name was Caldwell, and she confirmed that your father is her brother. She made us promised that we wouldn't tell you about it, but I guess in this situation, I need to tell you."

"So, that means… Anya is my cousin as well?"

Freddy nodded. "She is our cousins, and now she's in danger."

"Then, my father is probably involved." Tertius shook his head in disbelief. "Even though he's a King, he's probably involved in… this kind of crime? I can't believe this."

"Do you think… your father knew about the kidnapping attempt this morning?" asked Freddy carefully.

"I don't really know, but the scientist named Strauss… I mean, it can't be just a coincidence," Tertius admitted. "But I do know one thing. If he's really involved, if he's really working with Strauss…" He swallowed hard. "I won't let them touch Anya."

Freddy watched him, weighing the words. There was no hesitation. No uncertainty. Tertius wasn't just speaking out of loyalty, but also of conviction.

For the first time since this morning, Freddy felt a sliver of relief.

"Well," Freddy finally said, forcing a small, grim smile. "That makes two of us."

"By the way, I guess we need to tell her that I already know about my aunt." Tertius smiled back. "When will we tell her?"

"The bell will ring soon, so… how about tomorrow, at lunch?" Freddy suggested. "The Imperial Scholar's lounge will be used by the seniors anyway, so Anya and her best friends definitely will take lunch at the canteen tomorrow."

"Oh, alright then. We'll tell them tomorrow."

.

"Well, let's talk about what we need to do now," said Becky while Freddy and Tertius sat down onto the empty seat beside Emile and Elma. "We need to tell someone."

Freddy shook his head, disagreed. "No. Not yet. I don't think it's necessary."

Damian scowled. "Why not?"

Freddy exhaled. "Because we don't know who we can trust."

Tertius met Anya's gaze, something quiet, something resolute passing between them. "We protect each other first," he said.

A rare flicker of understanding crossed Damian's face. He nodded.

Anya swallowed. "So, what do we do?"

Freddy glanced around the table, to the seven people around him, before he started to explain, "We find out what Strauss is planning, then we stop his plan."

"But how can we find it out?" Emile frowned, looked at Freddy beside him. "It's only you who witnessed the attempt yesterday."

"Wait a minute. Freddy, you said that… a spy prevented the attempt and saved us yesterday. Can you describe his physical characteristics?" asked Anya.

"I don't really remember, but… he spoke in Nortican accent…"

"Nortican?" Anya suddenly smiled. "Then he must be Agent Shadow! He rescued me from one of Strauss's facilities when I was four years old."

"So, you know about him, huh?"

Anya nodded. "He isn't the best, but he's the first spy I've ever met. Then, when I was in the orphanage, a few other kids watched 'Spy Wars', so I instantly like it since then, because it reminds me with him."

"I see."

"Well, if Agent Shadow was the one who helped us, he definitely will report the attempt to the Intelligence Alliances," said Anya confidently. "They probably are talking about it right now."

"No way. It means our grandfather probably knew it by now." Freddy sighed. "He definitely will lock me in the house…"

"Uh, Freddy, I don't think he'll lock you in your house. We still have to go to school anyway," retorted Ewen flatly.

"I mean, on the weekend. He won't allow me to go bowling with my friends," Freddy corrected. "Also, he'll warn me to not go anywhere other than my house and the school on the weekdays. It'll be hard for me."

"I disagree with you, Freddy. You aren't the main target anyway." Anya shook her head. "Grandpa Klaus probably just will tell you not to give information about the failed attempt to anyone. If anything, the Intelligence Alliances probably will recommend me to be locked in the house."

"They don't need to do that, because I'll protect you." Damian crossed his arms right after he finished his schnitzel. "Not only me, but also the others here as well. All of us will protect you."

"I'm glad to see you both are dating now." Freddy smiled. "Your relationship changes your attitude, Damian."

"Eh? Really?"

Freddy nodded. "You didn't glare at me intensively anymore."

"Well, let's just say that I grow up." Damian shrugged. "You won't ever get married with your own cousin, anyway."

Freddy chuckled. "Of course not. I'm going to confess my feeling towards my crush anyway, so you don't need to worry about me."

"Eh? So, you fall in love with someone right now?" Becky couldn't help but enthusiastically asked. "Who's the lucky girl then?"

"She's one of your hallmate named Connie Carmichael." Freddy scratched his head. "There was a small accident between us, but then I realized that she's actually so pretty."

"Ah, it's Connie-chan, eh? I should admit that she's cute at some point." Becky nodded. "Then, how about you, Tertius? Are you interested to date someone here, in Ostania?"

"Well, there's a cute girl in my math class, and I guess, she's also from Cecile Hall." Tertius blushed. "Her name is Meg Montrose."

"I see. She's indeed gentle like a princess." She nodded again. "You both really have a good taste, eh?"

"Oh, by the way, this is my girlfriend, Elma Eglantine. She's a transfer student from Westalis," said Emile as he realized that both Freddy and Tertius still didn't know about his girlfriend.

"Nice to meet you," greeted Elma.

They finally kept talking about some lighter topics, made a silent agreement that they would talk about the kidnapping attempt later. For now, they just wanted to be relaxed as they finished their lunch together.

.

"Let me walk you home then," Damian offered. "It's much safer than if you walk home alone."

"Uh…"

"Oh, let me follow you both then. My grandfather probably is there now anyway, and I don't want to make my parents worry just because they hear the warning from my grandfather," Freddy reasoned. "Let's walk together, Anya."

"Hmm…"

"Then, what about me? I want to assure my aunt that I won't ever let my father disturb her anymore," added Tertius. "I also want to come to your house, Anya."

"Well, alright then. We'll walk together, but don't expect my family to invite you three for the dinner. We don't expect you to come home with me, anyway." Anya sighed.

After school, as Anya had been going to school on foot in the last three years, her boyfriend and cousins decided to walk her home, to protect her from the next kidnapping attempt made by Strauss.

The Authen's Penthouse, which was located only five blocks from Eden College, seemed so peaceful from the outside, from the closed main doors, but when the four teenagers opened the said main doors, they could find some acquaintances from the Intelligence Alliances, who now continued their meeting in the living room.

"Well, I somehow know that Grandpa will come here, but what's with the other people?" Freddy frowned. "What's going on?"

"I guess you already know what happened yesterday, Freddy, except if you suddenly had amnesia on the way here," said Sylvia softly. "You four already know it now, right?"

"Yeah, Freddy told us about the failed attempt." Anya sighed, but then noticed Andrew and greeted, "Agent Shadow! It's been so long since our first meeting. Nice to see you here."

"Nice to see you Anya, but unfortunately, the situation isn't really safe for you now," replied Andrew. "It's more serious."

"Did something happen? We already predict that it isn't over, but… is the situation that serious?"

Chief Klaus exchanged a glance with Sylvia before stepping forward. "As you already know, it's about Strauss… and all of you as well."

Tertius's fingers curled slightly at his side, a barely noticeable shift. "What does that mean?"

Yuri scoffed, arms folded. "It means this mess is bigger than any of you realize."

Franky, in a rare moment of seriousness, nodded. "He's right. Strauss isn't just acting alone. He's got backing."

Damian's expression darkened. "Backing… from who?"

Sylvia's lips pressed into a firm line. "That's what we need to find out."

A silence stretched between them before Chloe finally spoke, her voice quieter than the rest. "You're all involved now, whether you wanted to be or not."

Anya exhaled slowly, realizing that whatever was happening, whatever danger Strauss posed - it wasn't just about her anymore. It was about all of them.

Freddy exchanged a glance with Tertius and Damian, then he spoke with quiet resolve. "Then tell us everything."

The discussion had stretched for what felt like hours. Sylvia and Chief Klaus laid out everything - the risks, the stakes, the people involved. Freddy listened intently, his fingers tapping against his knee in quiet thought. Damian folded his arms, trying to make sense of the tangled web of conspiracies. Tertius sat stiffly, visibly processing the implications of his father's involvement right after he reported about his father's phone conversation.

Meanwhile, Anya was quiet. Too quiet.

It wasn't that she wasn't listening - she was. Every word, every warning, every theory about Strauss lodged itself in her mind like pieces of a complicated puzzle, but something else kept tugging at her focus.

Something… off.

She stole glance at Fiona first. The woman, who became her aunt since she got married with Franky last year, had barely spoken. Her posture was straighter than usual, while her hands resting in a way that seemed intentional - subtle, protective.

She then turned to Chloe, her another aunt. Yuri's wife.

There it was again.

Anya's emerald eyes widened slightly. She glanced between both of her aunts. Fiona's emotions were typically difficult to read, but there was something different in her thoughts. A faint whisper of caution. And Chloe, who normally carried an air of quiet intensity, was radiating something softer, something deliberate.

Then it clicked.

'Both of my aunts are pregnant, aren't they? Then, I'll have more cousins…'

Noticing his girlfriend's gaze towards her two aunts, Damian asked her, "What did you see? Why did you look at both of your aunts like that?"

"Well…"

Both of her aunts noticed it as well, as they shifted their attention to the pinkette.

"What is it?" asked Chloe. She raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong with us?"

"Uh… Auntie Chloe, are you and… Auntie Fiona… having babies?" asked her slowly. Her voice wasn't that loud, but it was audible enough to shift the other's attention to her. "Are you pregnant?"

Dead silence.

"Huh?" Damian looked at his girlfriend in disbelief, while Freddy coughed and Tertius's jaw dropped.

"Well, I guess you can easily figure it out, right?" Chloe sighed. "Yes, we are. You'll have at least two other cousins soon, sweetie."

Damian turned to look at the two women, still looked utterly lost. "Wait. You are?! Like… both of you?! But… since when?!"

"Since recently," answered Fiona coolly. "We both are married women anyway, so there's nothing wrong about that."

"But anyway, this is completely unrelated to Strauss, right?" Freddy rubbed his temple as he was still recovering from the whiplash of the news.

Chloe let out a short laugh. "Oh, I wish."

"That's such the good news, Auntie." Anya smiled, but it instantly faded as she turned to Sylvia and asked, "Are they still going to go on missions?"

"For now? Yes. Carefully though, because believe it or not, Strauss doesn't care much about maternity leave." Sylvia sighed. "They'll just focus on the Chasing Strauss Mission though…"

Anya exhaled slowly, still amazed. She never expected this to be part of today's revelations, and yet, somehow, it made everything feel more… human. More real.

She glanced at both of her aunts, trying to imagine them in a future without all the danger. Maybe someday, they'd get it. Her big family definitely would.

But to make it come true, Strauss needed to go down first.

"Alright then, time for the warning." Freddy exhaled before asked his grandfather, Chief Klaus. "So, no bowling on weekend? No going anywhere else other than here, school and my house?"

"You still can go, but be careful, and you four need to bring the gadget that Franky prepare to protect you," replied him.

"Here, I make ten set of devices, so make sure to give the rest of it to your other best friends," said Franky as he gave the gadget to the four teenagers present. "I intentionally made two additional set of devices so both Freddy and Tertius can give it to their special one as well."

"I get it as well?" asked Tertius as he received the small device.

"Well, somehow, we can guess that Freddy will tell you everything, so your position is the possible targets, just like the others, if you know what I mean." Loid patted the prince's shoulders. "You and he became best friends anyway, so it's more possible for him to reveal it to you."

"By the way, uncle, where's my aunt?" Tertius looked around the living room. "She lives here, right?"

"Don't worry. She just prepares herself in her room to meet you here," Loid assured. "You must be wonder why she didn't want you to know about her, but trust me, she doesn't have bad intention about it."

"I know." Tertius nodded. "I trust you."

Chapter 10: Three Aunts, Two Nephews, One Uncle and One Niece

Summary:

After the intense meeting in the living room, it's a good time for Tertius to approach his aunt, Amanda, while Anya is talking with her aunts about their pregnancies and Freddy is asking Loid for advice about something.

After the meeting, in Albert's study…

Tertius opened the door, fingers gripped the door handle tightly, as he took in the sight before him.

Amanda Authen, formerly known as Amanda Caldwell, sat on Albert's desk chair in the dimly lit room. Her back was straight, supported by the back of the chair, yet her shoulders carried the burden of unspoken years. She wasn't a ghost, but seeing her now felt unreal to the prince, like stepping into a memory he'd never experienced.

"Finally, I can meet you… Auntie." He slowly stepped into the room, then sat down onto the seat in front of her. "It's been three years since I found out that I have an aunt, and honestly… I just really want to meet you."

"I know it. Freddy told us that you wanted to know about my whereabouts three years ago, but I told him, Anya and her best friends not to tell you about it." Amanda looked up at him with her steady gaze.

"I guess, I know about your reason. It was the same reason you left the kingdom."

Her fingers tightened slightly on the chair's armrest. "Do you?"

Tertius nodded, sharply exhaled. "Your mother was cast aside. The court favored my grandmother because she bore a son - the heir they wanted. The former King's father decided that meant she was the real Queen." His voice remained level, but weary. "Your mother never stood a chance."

Amanda exhaled slowly, studying him. "Who told you?"

"No one had to." He shook his head slightly. "It's all over the palace. Not in records, not in official accounts, but in whispers. In the way my father rules." Tertius paused, before he added, "In the way my older brothers, Primus and Secundus, pretend your name doesn't exist."

Amanda held his gaze, something flickering across her expression - recognition, maybe regret. "And yet, you speak it."

Tertius's jaw tightened. "Because I don't think forgetting makes it disappear."

A silence stretched between them.

Amanda leaned forward slightly. "You've lived knowing all this in the last three years, and you've never really spoken of it before. You only told Freddy that I was your father's stepsister, not specifically told him that I was the older one."

"I never had the chance," he admitted. "But anyway, now I meet you."

Amanda took a deep breath, fingers flexing against the desk. For a while, she studied her nephew, as if looking at someone she had never expected to see, who knew the truth before she could say it aloud.

"My mother thought it would be better if we left the palace," she murmured. "For herself, for me, and I guess… for you too."

Tertius let out a quiet breath. "It wasn't."

Amanda hesitated, but then slowly rested her hands lightly over his on the table.

"I know."

And for the first time since entering the room, the weight eased - just a little.

.

Meanwhile, in the living room…

Anya sat on the couch, chin resting on her hands, watching Chloe and Fiona sitting on the plush chairs across from her. The meeting left a lingering burden in the air, but the atmosphere at the room softened into something quieter and gentler.

She squinted at her aunts, eyeing their hands instinctively resting on their bellies. When Yor was pregnant with Alfred, Anya had asked her the same thing. Now, she just needed to confirm whether pregnancy was truly universal, or if Yor's experience had been some kind of anomaly.

"So…" she started slowly. "Does it feel like Haha said it does?"

Chloe raised an amused brow. "Can you be more specific, dear?"

Anya waved vaguely at them. "Having a tiny human inside you. Is it weird?"

Fiona hummed thoughtfully. "At first, it feels like nothing. Then one day, it hits you, then you realize 'Oh, there's actually a person growing in there'."

Chloe sighed dramatically. "Less poetic when they start treating your insides like a trampoline."

Anya furrowed her brows. "Haha said Alfred used her ribs as a punching bag. Is that normal?"

Fiona exhaled. "Pretty normal."

Chloe smirked. "My little one prefers stealth attacks at 3 a.m."

Anya gasped. "They fight in there?"

Chloe laughed. "Not fights, Anya, but kicks. A lot of kicks."

Fiona nodded. "Imagine a small, determined squirrel trapped in a pillow, except the pillow is you."

Anya leaned back, processing all of the information she got from her aunts. "Yeah, that's exactly like what Haha said."

Anya's gaze flickered toward her own hands, thinking about Alfred.

"I already have a younger brother…" she murmured, almost to herself.

Fiona and Chloe exchanged a brief glance before focusing back on her.

Anya exhaled, glancing up. "When Haha had him, everything changed. Chichi was always busy, Haha was tired all the time, and then suddenly - BOOM. He was there, screaming loudly, but then…"

She hesitated, then frowned slightly. "Then he got older, and now? He studies in kindergarten and loves math. Like, actually likes it. He enjoys something that I don't get at all, but it makes him really happy."

Chloe concluded, "So, he's focused?"

Anya nodded. "Super focused. Like, he gets excited about math the way I get excited about peanuts."

Fiona smiled. "That's a very serious level of excitement."

Anya puffed up slightly with pride. "Exactly."

Chloe leaned forward slightly. "Sounds like you care a lot about him."

Anya shrugged. "I don't know, Auntie. He can be annoying sometimes, but then he calls my name, follows me around and acts like I'm the coolest person he knows, and honestly… I don't mind."

Fiona kept her smile on, reaching over to squeeze her hand gently. "You're a great big sister, Anya-chan."

Anya instantly brightened, "Obviously."

Chloe chuckled. "Hopefully, not to a squirrel."

Anya gasped. "Auntie Chloe, you're going to keep bringing that up, aren't you?"

Their laughter filled the room, chasing away the heaviness of the night, and in an instant, despite everything else going on in their lives, there was only this intimate moment between family.

A few minutes later, the laughter died down, but Chloe wasn't done yet. She leaned back slightly with a playful look in her eyes.

"So," she mused then tilted her head and asked, "Since we're talking about family… what's your latest news, Anya?"

Anya blinked. "Mine?"

Fiona sighed, smiled softly while exchanging a glance with Chloe. "She means Damian, dear."

Her face instantly betrayed her as a mixture of surprise, panic, and denial flickered across her features. She crossed her arms. "Pfft. What about him? He helps Alfred doing his homework now."

Chloe smirked. "Oh, you know. Just casual curiosity. He walked you home with Freddy and Tertius moments ago, anyway."

"Yeah, very casual," Fiona added, though her tone was anything but that.

Anya narrowed her eyes. "Why do adults like to do this?"

Chloe propped her chin up. "Do what?"

Anya huffed dramatically. "Ask about my relationship like it's an international scandal."

Fiona couldn't help but laughed quietly. "It's not a scandal, Anya-chan. We just want details."

Anya sank deeper into the couch. "No details. Zero details."

"Eh? Sweetie, are you sure?" Chloe feigned disappointment. "Not even a tiny one?"

Anya sighed exaggeratedly. "Fine…" She straightened slightly, arms crossed less defensively. "Jinan is… fine."

Fiona raised a brow. "Just fine?"

Anya hesitated, "Uh, maybe… he's more than fine."

Chloe's smirk widened. "Ah, so that's the progress."

Anya groaned. "I hate how you both make everything sound dramatic."

Fiona giggled. "That's an aunt's job."

Chloe tapped her fingers on the armrest, as if suddenly remembering something. "Speaking of dramatic… Loid told me and Yuri something very interesting last week, when we checked my pregnancy at Berlint General Hospital and coincidentally met him there."

Anya tilted her head. "Huh?"

Chloe grinned. "Apparently, last Monday, when Damian told him that you two were dating, he called Loid…" she paused deliberately, savoring the moment before added, "Father."

Silence.

Anya froze. Completely.

Fiona gasped in delight. "He did what? Well, my shifts at the hospital were reduced because of my pregnancy, so I didn't get to see Doctor Forger much last week."

Chloe chuckled. "Oh yes. He called Loid as 'father' here, near the front door over there, and the best part is… Well, he said it so naturally that Loid wasn't even sure if Damian realized what he'd done."

Anya buried her face in her hands. "NO. NOPE. NOT REAL. NEVER HAPPENED."

But in her own thoughts, she added, 'Chichi, why did you tell Uncle Yuri and Auntie Chloe about that? It's quite embarrassing.'

Fiona couldn't help but laughed gleefully. "Oh, sweetheart, it definitely happened."

Chloe leaned back and shook her head. "Honestly, Anya, that boy is head over heels, and apparently, Loid had no clue how to react, which is even funnier."

Anya groaned, melting into the couch. "I can never face him again."

Fiona nudged her playfully. "Face who, Anya-chan? Damian or Doctor Forger?"

"Both."

Chloe sighed dramatically. "Well, it seems Loid already has one son… and now, an accidental second one."

Fiona nodded seriously. "So, Anya-chan, how does it feel knowing your boyfriend has already mentally adopted himself into your family?"

Anya threw the pillow in her hands in a desperate attempt to distract them, but they were relentless. Their laughter erupted, overpowering her muffled groans as she collapsed into the couch, utterly defeated.

Then, after a long sigh, she muttered, "Now I understand… I get it."

Fiona raised a brow. "Get what?"

Anya glared at the ceiling, looking deeply betrayed by the universe itself. "What it's like to be laughed at just because of something that happened last Monday."

Chloe smirked. "Ah, experience truly is the best teacher."

Anya groaned again. "Becky did this exact thing to Jinan in our morning tea session, on the day after he announced our relationship here. Then at lunch, she laughed at him for hours."

Fiona gasped dramatically. "Oh dear. Poor boy. Were you trying to defend him?"

Anya huffed. "No, because it was funny at the time, and I felt entertained."

Chloe gave her a knowing look. "And now? What do you think about it?"

Anya slumped further, then barely whispered, "Now I understand his pain…"

Her aunts burst into laughter again.

Anya flung another pillow.

.

Meanwhile, in the dining room…

Freddy sat across from Loid at the dining table, arms folded loosely, gaze distant. The conversation had already shifted - away from logistics and planning - into something personal.

"Uncle…" He sighed. "Do you ever feel like Eden has its own gravitational pull?"

"Hmm? Gravitational pull?" Loid raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean with that?"

Freddy gestured vaguely. "Like… no matter how much you try to just… be, there's always expectations and traditions, and the constant reminder you have to live up to something, whether you want to or not."

Loid studied his nephew for a moment before he answered, "I imagine that's especially difficult for someone like you."

Freddy exhaled slowly, tapping his fingers against the table. "Yeah, that's the problem."

The fang boy paused, then added genuinely in a quieter voice, "I don't think… I know what I'm supposed to be."

Loid's expression softened just a fraction. "That's not unusual. Most students at Eden don't as well."

Freddy huffed a quiet laugh. "Yeah, well. Most students at Eden also have an idea of what's expected from them. I get pressure from every direction - from home, school, and even people who think I'm supposed to be something I haven't even figured out yet."

Loid leaned back slightly, thoughtful. "And if you could decide for yourself, without anyone else's influence, what would that look like?"

Freddy hesitated, because he didn't know.

That was the worst part - he spent so much time trying to keep up and measuring himself by external expectations that he never stopped to ask himself what he actually wanted.

"I don't know…" he finally admitted. "But I want the chance to figure it out."

Loid nodded, understood with what his nephew said. "Then take it. Others will always have expectations, but ultimately, the life you live is yours."

Freddy sat with that for a moment, then he sighed again, lighter this time. "You make it sound easy, Uncle Loid."

Loid gave a small smile. "I know it's not easy, but knowing what you want is the first step, and even if you don't yet, recognizing that you need time to figure it out is just as important."

Freddy hummed, not entirely convinced but not dismissive either.

Then, after a pause, Loid's voice softened. "A few years ago, I met someone who changed my understanding of what it meant to have a future."

Freddy blinked, intrigued. "You did?"

Loid nodded, his fingers tapped lightly against the armrest. "I didn't grow up with expectations like Eden imposes, but as a spy who grown up in the middle of the war, there was still pressure. An unspoken demand to be someone strong, someone useful, especially, to maintain the peace."

Freddy tilted his head. "Did you figure it out?"

Loid exhaled. "Not immediately, but there was someone. A person the world expected nothing from. Someone who, by all accounts, wasn't supposed to matter in any grand way."

Freddy narrowed his eyes slightly. "So, what did that person do?"

Loid gave a faint smile. "She chose kindness. Not obligation or ambition, but just the simple act of caring, and in doing that, she created something bigger than herself."

Freddy considered that. "And… who was this person, Uncle?"

Loid was quiet for a moment, thoughtful. Then, with a small, almost nostalgic smile, he said, "Yor."

Freddy blinked. "Auntie Yor?"

Loid nodded. "Back then, she was just someone navigating life the best way she could. There were no grand ambitions or political motivations, but just a quiet strength. She never tried to fit into expectations. She simply helped, protected, and cared, and somehow, that was enough."

Freddy studied his uncle carefully. "And that's how you figured out your own path?"

Loid exhaled, thoughtful. "She reminded me that sometimes, being yourself is enough, and more than that, sometimes, it's the only way to truly change the world around you."

Freddy sat with that, absorbing the words. After a long pause, he muttered, "So you're saying… I need better friends?"

Loid chuckled, shook his head. "Not necessarily. Just ones who remind you that you're more than expectations."

Freddy exhaled, rolling his wrist slightly as if shaking off the weight of the conversation. "Yeah, that doesn't sound terrible.

Loid gave him a knowing look. "It's a start."

For the first time in a while, the weight on Freddy's shoulders felt just a little lighter.

.

Back to the living room…

Anya was recovering, barely. The pillow-throwing had stopped, but her dignity was still critically wounded.

Unfortunately, her aunts weren't satisfied.

Fiona gave her a knowing look, the same one that had spelled trouble for her in the past. "So, Anya-chan," she mused, "is Damian staying here tonight or running back to the dorm?"

Anya choked on air.

Chloe smirked, casually adjusting her posture. "Oh, he's still here, isn't he? Loid wouldn't have let you throw pillows at us if he wasn't."

Anya pressed her hands to her face. "Auntie Chloe, why are you like this? You too, Auntie Fiona. Why at this moment I prefer your previous, cold self rather than your present self?"

Fiona shrugged. "Because it feels good not to be cold, thanks to my beloved Franky who taught me the importance of having fun."

Chloe curiously tilted her head. "But really, what's the plan? Are you two spending time together? Or did he already retreat back to safety?"

Anya groaned. "I already told you that he's not retreating. He's just… helping Alfred with his homework in his room."

The pinkette flopped back onto the couch.

Fiona's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Oh? Is he helping his little brother-in-law?"

Anya sat up so fast she nearly knocked over a cushion. "NO! NOT THAT!"

Chloe laughed. "Sweetheart, he's literally helping your brother with math. Do you know what that means?"

Anya hid behind another pillow. "That he's good at math?"

Chloe smirked. "That he's already bonded with your family."

Fiona leaned back, sighing dramatically. "I suppose the sleepover is inevitable, then."

Anya screamed into the pillow.

Chapter 11: The Challenge and the Gadget

Summary:

As the meeting in the living room was way too long until all of them even takes their dinner late, The Authens ask Damian, Freddy and Tertius to stay over in their penthouse. Freddy then challenges Anya, betting who will wake up late between them, but then Damian helps Anya to wake her up before Freddy, makes the fang boy realizes that he doesn't set up any clear rules for the challenge.

When they meet the others in the morning tea session, they give the protective gadget from Franky to their best friends.

"Anya, please wake up now, or else you'll lose the bet," Damian whispered to his sleeping girlfriend. "Freddy challenged you, so you need to wake up earlier to prove that you're not as lazy as what he thinks."

The pinkette slowly opened her eyes, yawned. "Oh, alright then. Thanks for waking me up anyway… You're such a good boyfriend for me, Jinan."

"Of course, I am." Damian sighed. "Then, should I help you get dressed as well, or…"

"Hey, I can dress myself." Anya quickly sat up. "You just need to wait for me outside."

"Alright then, I'll wait for you there, but you have to get out of here before Freddy wakes up and runs to the dining room to declare his victory." Damian walked back to the bedroom's door and opened it. "See you in the dining room."

Anya nodded. "Don't worry, Jinan. I just need a few minutes to get dressed."

The couple looked at each other and smiled, before Damian walked out from Anya's bedroom to let her getting dressed. Damian then walked into the guest room, where he, Freddy and Tertius were sleeping last night. Now, Freddy was the only one who still slept in the room.

Tertius, who already woke up not so long after Damian walked out from the room a few minutes ago, blinked as he asked, "Are you just helping Anya to win the bet from Freddy?"

"Well, she's my girlfriend, so it can't be helped." Damian shrugged. "Freddy didn't mention that they shouldn't be woken up by anyone in this challenge, so there's no cheating here."

"You're right." Tertius chuckled. "Even so, I need to help him as well, so we still can count it as fair. Now, the winner is the one who can get ready for school earlier."

The third prince of Septevia then tried to wake his best friend up. "Freddy, do you want to be a loser in your own challenge? Just wake up and change your clothes. The breakfast will be ready soon."

Freddy groaned loudly, sat up on the bed as he slowly realized that both Damian and Tertius were already awake, perfectly composed, adjusting their uniforms with zero signs of exhaustion.

Freddy squinted at them. "How are you both this functional?"

Damian raised a brow. "Because we have discipline, I guess? I and Tertius are the boarding students anyway, so we have a regular schedule at the dorm."

Freddy flopped back onto the bed. "Ugh. Unfair."

Tertius brushed his uniform jacket and spoke, "At least, you could have prepared better than me. You've been an Imperial Scholar since the end of the first term of the seventh grade, while I'm still waiting for my last two Stella Stars right now."

Freddy exhaled dramatically.

"By the way, should I remind you again that you challenged our sweet cousin to wake up early? You need to get ready before she has a chance to tease you in the dining room," Tertius calmly stated.

Suddenly, Freddy stood up and hurriedly took his uniform. "No way. I need to walk out to the dining room before her."

"Well, good luck about that, because I just woke her up in her bedroom a few minutes ago." Damian took his bag and opened the door before he left the room. "And it's fair, since Tertius woke you up as well just recently."

Freddy blinked. "Excuse me, Damian? Why did you help her? That's definitely unfair. You woke her up before Tertius woke me…"

Tertius sighed. "You know what? I think you need to walk to the dining room now. It'll be embarrassing for you if Anya is already there before you."

Freddy ignored him as he finished wearing his uniform, ran toward the dining room where the adults, along with Anya and Damian, were already settling in with their breakfast.

"Oh, Freddy, good morning," greeted Anya sweetly before she smugly added, "Did you sleep well last night?"

"Good morning." The fang boy glared at his cousin. "It seems like, you're cheating to win in my challenge."

"Cheat?" Anya turned to Damian for a few seconds before she innocently reasoned, "I'm not cheating. I don't ask Damian to wake me up. He just decided to walk into my room and wake me up himself."

"Whatever you say…" Freddy rolled his eyes. "This doesn't seem fair for me."

"Says the one who challenged me first, but didn't bother to add some rules." Anya giggled. "Anyway, just eat your breakfast now. I don't want to be late for the morning tea session today, because we need to give something important to the others."

"Oh yeah, the protective gadget…" Freddy sighed, then turned to Loid and asked, "Will it be worked, Uncle Loid? Did you all already test the gadget?"

"Well, we tested the gadget in the meeting at the WISE's safe house, and it worked properly, so you don't need to worry about it," Loid assured.

But honestly, I'm just surprised that Uncle Scruffy made ten set of devices, even though both Freddy and Tertius are still shy enough to confess their feelings to their own crush," commented Anya cheerfully. "Both Connie and Meg are still safe for now."

"Hey, did I already tell you that I was going to confess?" Freddy frowned. "I'll confess to Connie soon, more precisely, right after school today, so I need to give her the gadget as well…"

"Only if she accepts you, though." Anya shrugged. "It depends on her response to your confession."

"Then, how about you, Tertius?" asked Damian right when the prince just walked into the dining room with two bags - him and Freddy's. "Will you confess your feeling to Montrose today as well?"

"Well, I already prepared some flowers at school, but I'm still not really sure to confess my feeling today." Tertius sighed. "Let's just see the condition then."

"By the way, Freddy, I don't remember what prize the one of us who wins your challenge to wake up first will get." Anya frowned. "Isn't it the permission to reveal an embarrassing moment of the loser to everyone here?"

"Wait a second!" Freddy immediately stiffened as he turned to Tertius for a few seconds before he warned, "Don't say that you want to reveal that… Anya, no. Don't say something about…"

"Your booger? Something you accidentally threw in both-…"

"Don't say that one!" Freddy shouted. "Is it fun for you to ruin my life?!"

"Okay, I won't." Anya sighed. "I don't want to make a sudden war anyway."

"War? What do you mean with that?" Tertius raised an eyebrow. "Is it about-…"

"It's nothing, Tertius. You don't need to worry." Freddy cut what the prince said before he hurriedly turned to Anya and added, "You can reveal anything but that one, okay. Just reveal another moment, not that one."

"Hmm, another moment, huh? Are you referring to the time when all four of us miraculously were classmates in the History class in the second term of the eighth grade, then you thought whispering in class wouldn't get you caught, but then Mr. Henderson was standing right behind you?"

"Uh, that's…" Freddy visibly cringed.

Damian smirked. "Oh, I remember that very well, Anya. Of course, since it was History class that we're talking about, but for this challenge, should we talk about something that I and Tertius still don't know about Freddy?"

"Is that so? Then… how about when he tried to bribe the Classical Language's teacher in the first term of the third grade with snacks, only to extend recess, and instead got an extra essay as punishment?"

"Wow, that's new. You never told me about it." Damian pointed out.

"Is it forbidden for us to bring snacks to school? Both the boarding students and commuting students aren't allowed to bring snacks, let alone the bribe things." Tertius shook his head.

Freddy covered his face. "I was young and full of hope."

All of the adults were amusedly watching their conversation. Barbara smiled. "You four are providing excellent morning entertainment, especially you, Anya."

"Thanks for your compliment, Grandma Barb." Anya smiled back. "I often become classmate with Freddy anyway, so I know almost all of the embarrassing moments of him at school."

"Just don't tease him too much, or else, he'll plan to take revenge on you," Loid warned.

"I don't think he'll have chance to do something like that, Chichi." Anya turned back to Freddy and asked, "So, is that moment embarrassing enough for you? Are you sure that I don't need to tell everyone about your-…"

"Stop. Please, stop." Freddy sighed. "That moment you mentioned is embarrassing enough for me, so you don't need to add something else, and of course, definitely not that one."

"Alright then, I won't tell them about your deepest secret," Anya decided. "Let's just go to school right after we finish our breakfast here."

.

Thirty minutes later, in the morning tea session at school…

"So, what happened yesterday? Now I noticed that you guys were staying over at the Authen's Penthouse, right? Ewen and Emile told me that you even asked them to bring your textbooks for today's subjects and put it in your locker, Damian, and of course, I saw all of you walked here together from the school gate," said Becky to the three boys before she turned to Anya. "Were the Intelligence Alliances discussing about the failed attempt with you four?"

"Well, we were discussing about it with them in a few hours, then Chichi suggested Damian, Freddy and Tertius to stay, because it was already midnight when we finished our dinner." Anya shrugged. "But anyway, Uncle Scruffy gave these for us."

She then took the protective gadget, which Franky gave to them, out from her bag, and in a few minutes, the eight teenagers were examining the said gadget.

"Then, let see what we got here, a pair of earpieces and a wristwatch for each of us…" Becky paused. "But what can we do with them?"

Anya thought for a few minutes before she added. "I think I know what we can do using these earpieces. Becky, put your earpieces on."

"Alright, I'll put it in my ears. This one for the right one, and this one for the left one…" Becky carefully wore her earpieces while Anya wore hers. "So, what am I supposed to hear from these earpieces?"

"Well…" Anya carefully continued what she said in her thoughts, 'Becky, if you can hear this, then my guess about the earpieces is proven. It allows us to communicate two ways with my telepathy.'

"Wait a minute. I can hear you!" Becky exclaimed. "So, rather than the usual one-way communication that your telepathy used to provide, these earpieces allow us to communicate with each other telepathically, right?"

Anya nodded. "Finally, I can use telepathy to communicate with all of you."

"That's interesting!" Elma commented. "Well then, everyone, let's put these earpieces on."

All of them then put their wristwatches onto the table and tried their earpieces, then found out that it was an Encrypted Mind-Link Communicator. The earpieces was a pair of specialized earpieces that allowing Anya to relay thoughts securely to all of her best friends without speaking, preventing eavesdropping or interception from outside.

"This is incredibly cool! Uncle Scruffy finally made something useful." Anya widened her smile. "It's much better than if I needed to silently communicate to you all with several codes, but then some of you were just knowing nothing about the codes."

"Eh? What do you mean with that, Anya?" asked Ewen.

"Well, only some of you who understand the morse code, and we don't really have time to share knowledge about the codes that all of us understand as well." Anya shrugged. "We were too busy studying at school that we don't have time to talk about secret communication codes."

Somehow, it reminded Anya with what happened last week - when she read Elma's minds about Emile's appearance in their first meeting. She remembered how she wished to be able to communicate with her friends this way in that time, and now, it felt like Franky granted her unspoken wish with the earpieces.

"At least now we have these earpieces, so we can find the way to communicate with each other secretly." Becky shifted her attention to the remaining gadget on the table and asked, "Then, how about these wristwatches?"

"Only one way to find out." Anya took her wristwatch. "Let's just wear it, everyone."

The eight teenagers then examined the wristwatch right after each of them wearing it around their own preferred wrist. There were some buttons under and around the screen.

"Let me see…" Freddy looked at the sleek black band around his left wrist. "All of the earpieces are black, while each of us get different color for this wristwatch."

"Well, you get the black one, and I get the white one…" Tertius then looked around him. "Then, Anya gets the yellow one, Becky gets the pink one, Damian gets the purple one, Ewen gets the maroon one, Emile gets the blue one, and Elma gets the green one. If necessary, I guess I'll give the gold one to Meg, and you'll give the silver one to Connie."

"I see." Freddy nodded. "Oh, pay attention to the watch screen, and try pressing all the buttons around the watch."

They all tried to figure out the correct way to use the watch, which turned out to be incredibly easy to use. They successfully found most of the watch's features only in a few minutes.

"Alright, so apparently, it's linked to the earpieces," Tertius explained as he adjusted his own watch. "The features available here are the Encrypted Messaging where we can send messages on the watch if the earpieces aren't working because of the new moon, Real Time Coordinates where we can find out each other locations by seeing the maps on the screen, and… this red button here are…" He pressed another button, caused the other's watches vibrated as all of the screens were red with a tiny little white dot in the middle of the screens.

"Ah, it's a Silent Warning System," Damian noted, leaning forward. "If one of us is in danger, we can tell each other secretly. The color of the tiny dot will indicate the one who's in trouble. That's why, each of us get different colors."

"Oh, that sounds really cool!" Anya beamed, sensing the nervous excitement radiating from all of them. Those sets of devices weren't just a regular protective gadget, but a promise of protection, an unspoken pact that they were in this together.

"All of these are cool," Freddy muttered. "The last feature of this watch is the Alarm Clock, so I guess… with this watch, I'll be able to wake up on time every morning, huh?"

"Freddy, are you still thinking about your defeat in your own challenge this morning?" Tertius smirked. "Is it partly your own fault not to set clearer rules for the challenge?"

"Eh? Did you guys have a fun challenge this morning?" Becky excitedly asked.

"Well, Freddy challenged Anya to wake up early, but then she won the challenge with my help," Damian proudly answered. "Just because Freddy didn't set a specific rule that they needed to wake up by themselves."

"Shut up, Damian." Freddy glared at him.

Anya giggled. The morning's playfulness lingered, but beneath it, the weight of the future settled in. Now, whatever came next, they were ready to face it.

Chapter 12: The Revelation and the Confession

Summary:

As Tertius and Damian bring up about the wake-up challenge between Anya and Freddy in the morning tea session, the pinkette retries to reveal Freddy's deepest secret, only to find out that Tertius already knows about it, about the incident which involved his face that happened in his first meeting with his best friend. However, after he recovers from the revelation of his secret, Freddy prepares himself to confess to Connie, the glasses girl he loves.

"So, since both Jinan and Tertius bring it up again, I guess I need to reveal one more of Freddy's most embarrassing moments here." Anya grinned.

"Anya, the challenge is over now. You already revealed one of my most embarrassing moments in your house, about when I tried to bribe our Classical Language teacher with snacks back in the third grade. Isn't it enough for you?" Freddy stiffened. "We're in the eleventh grade now, so just be a mature winner and leave it just that."

"Well, I could tell the others about the same thing here, but both Ewen and Emile saw you bringing the snacks from your locker to the class, so I guess… I need to tell them something else." Anya shrugged. "Also, if anyone bring the challenge up here, it means that I need to get additional prize."

"No, you don't need that." Freddy shook his head. "It's just your excuse so that you can reveal… you know…"

Tertius, with perfect composure, casually interrupted, "Oh? Is it about what Anya initially wanted to reveal in our breakfast? Precisely, about our first meeting, when you accidentally threw your booger onto my face in Biology class?"

Just then, they fell silent for a while.

Damian, who had been stirring his tea absentmindedly, froze mid-motion as he heard what Tertius said. "Wait, what? Tertius, what did you say?"

Becky blinked rapidly. "Hold on. I also want to ask the same thing. Tertius, what did you just say?!"

Ewen and Emile looked horrified, leaned closer as they turned to Freddy. "You did what? No way!"

Elma, who still adjusted to the group's absurd antics furrowed her brows. "Booger?"

"No, wait. Tertius, so you already know it?" Even Anya was surprised. "But since when did you know about it?"

"Well, a few classmates kept asking me about my missing mole. They were sure that I had a mole under my left eye in our first Biology class." Tertius shrugged. "Then I realized that actually, it was his booger that Freddy wanted to 'evacuate' from my face, not that leaf that he shown me, and somehow, you helped him."

"Wait. So, you wanted to say to us that… before you three walked out from Biology class F and talked happily in the corridor, Freddy picked his nose, and his booger somehow was thrown onto… Tertius's face?" Damian gasped. "And people thought it was a mole?!"

"Uh, actually… both Freddy and Tertius wanted to talk to me in the corridor, right after we silently solved the problem, but I was just too proud that I could help Freddy removed his booger from Tertius's face, so I didn't really care about what they said, other than Freddy introduced himself," Anya corrected. "But yeah, that's what happened."

"So basically, the reason you three seemed getting along well in the corridor after Biology class which made Damian jealous of you three and started our study group was… that incident?" Becky concluded. "That sounds ridiculous. I thought Freddy and Tertius were romantically attracted with Anya-chan in that time, but… now that you talk about the incident…"

"Alright, I'm doomed!" Freddy growled loudly as he pressed his forehead against the table. "This is the worst day of my life."

"Come on, Freddy. It isn't really that bad." Anya laughed. "Even now we know that Tertius has slowly figured it out himself, but he doesn't mind at all and still wants to be your best friend."

"Wow, unbelievable." Damian deadpanned. "My girlfriend was involved in a booger incident between both of her cousins…"

"So, it's true that you were jealous to see us in the corridor, Jinan." Anya giggled. "But what do you feel now, after you know about what really happened?"

"Never again involve yourself in such a disgusting incident, Anya," Damian warned. "Just let them have that small war of booger on their faces."

Tertius smirked. "Well, it's reasonable if you were jealous, Damian. I did want to give my flower to her in that time, even though she refused it."

Damian turned back to Anya and asked, "Did you refuse his flower?"

"I just wasn't interested." Anya shrugged. "Moreover, you instantly asked Becky to tutor us for Language Studies, didn't you, Jinan?"

"Oh yeah, I remember now," mumbled Damian.

"So, our study group was formed right after a booger incident in Biology class…" Ewen whistled. "This is historical."

"Such a great history for our study group…" Emile dramatically wiped a tear from his eye. "It's legendary."

"Don't be too dramatic, Emile." Elma giggled. "All of you are so funny."

Freddy sighed in defeat. "Seriously, Anya, why are you so eager to reveal my secret? Do you have a valid reason?"

"Well, it's because of what happened last year, when you accidentally did the same thing to Connie in Math class…" Anya pointed out. "That time, Connie almost thought that your booger was her acne, but then you bravely admitted the truth to her and apologized, asked her to go to the National Library on the weekend, and basically, it was your first date with her, even though you both aren't really officially dating."

"So?" Freddy frowned.

"Like I said, now Tertius knows about the incident in our first meeting, but even then, you both are still best friends…" Anya sighed. "Now, what I want to point out is that… you need to bravely confess your feeling towards Connie, just like when you admitted the similar incident to her last year. I mean, just like Tertius who now doesn't really mind about your past incident with him, I'm sure, she also will gladly accept your feeling."

Just then, the bell rang.

"I told you I have a plan," Freddy murmured. "I'll definitely confess to her. You don't need to do something like this."

"I need to." Anya stood up from her chair. "Alright then, let's go to the class!"

.

After school, at the courtyard…

The commuting students were walking out from the school gate, where Freddy stood up as he waited for Connie.

Freddy shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His eyes stared at the protective gadget in his hand. His fingers drummed against the sleek silver wristwatch he was supposed to give Connie. For a moment, he considered to go home, but then he heard the sound of familiar footsteps, and he saw her.

A girl with long, light brown hair and glasses approached the fang boy, held her school bag with her right hand when she adjusted her glasses. "Hey, Freddy. Are you waiting for someone here?"

Freddy cleared his throat. "Uh, actually… I'm waiting for you, so… umm… I guess you can say that."

Connie raised a brow as she stopped in front of him. "Eh? Are you waiting for me? But why?"

Freddy exhaled, tried to steel himself before he held out the protective gadget. "Yeah, because I have something for you. Here."

Connie looked at the black earpieces and silver wristwatch curiously. "Oh, wow. What's this? Wait, I think some of our classmates also have something like this…"

"Well, they're special devices. I guess you saw Anya and her gang wearing earpieces and wristwatches like these, right? I also wear mine here. Can you see it?" Freddy explained, shown her his own earpieces and wristwatch before he rubbed his neck. "Uh, they're encrypted communicators, and I guess we'll explain more about them to you tomorrow, but for now, I just can say that… they'll help keeping you safe. Like you said, we all got one, and… I want you to have this one."

Connie smiled, took both of the earpieces and the wristwatch and looked them over before she put the earpieces into her ears and wore the wristwatch around her left wrist. She pushed her glasses up before she said, "That's really nice of you, Freddy. Thanks."

Freddy exhaled sharply, as he felt his heart hammering against his ribs. He glanced away for a second, then forced himself to look back at the girl with glasses. "Actually… uh… there's something else I need to say."

Connie tilted her head slightly as she adjusted her frames. "Yeah? What is it?"

Freddy clenched his fists as he tried to muster every ounce of courage that he had at the moment. "So… do you remember… you know… that incident from last year… in Math class?"

Connie blinked. "Oh, you mean…"

Freddy sighed. "Yeah, that booger incident."

Connie smiled, then shook her head. "You were really brave for admitting that to me back then."

Freddy exhaled. "You're right, and today… I want to be brave again to tell you something else."

Connie tilted her head, then adjusted her glasses before she replied, "Go on. What do you want to say?"

Freddy steeled himself. "I love you."

Connie paused as her cheeks blushed, but then she smiled and admitted, "Actually, I kind of figured."

Freddy gaped. "Really? But how?"

Connie giggled. "Come on, Freddy, you asked me to the National Library after the whole booger thing. That was basically a confession, and… our visit to the library was… a date."

"So, you knew about my feeling… this whole time?"

Connie amusedly adjusted her glasses again. "Pretty much."

Freddy exhaled. "So… what do you think? Is loving you… a good or… a bad thing for me to do?"

Connie smiled. "It's good."

Freddy finally breathed. "Wait… really? Like… you actually love me back?"

Connie nudged her glasses up as she grinned. "Yeah, Freddy, I do. I love you too."

Freddy stared at her before a slow, disbelieving grin spread across his face. "Oh."

Connie smirked. "Are we walking home now, or do you need more time to process?"

Freddy let out a breathy laugh. "It's okay, Connie. I can walk."

Connie nudged him playfully. "Good. Let's go."

Freddy followed her as his heart was pounding, but now it was lighter than ever.

Chapter 13: The Full Group's Sleepover and the Younger Brother

Summary:

While Freddy and Tertius celebrate their successful confessions, Anya gathers the entire group for a lively sleepover at the Authen's Penthouse, but beneath the festivities, Alfred wrestles with growing fears for his older sister's safety, dreading another encounter with the mad scientist.

Thursday, at lunch break…

The midday sun filtered through the trees, casting warm shadows over the courtyard tables. Students chatted, laughed, and traded bites of their lunches, the casual hum of conversation filling the air.

At one of the quieter corners, Tertius stood near the garden. His right hand gripped the stem of a carefully chosen flower, which had soft petals and seemed delicate, yet vibrant. It was a light flower, but somehow, as Tertius could hear his own heartbeat so loudly in his ears, it felt so heavy in his right hand.

He wasn't sure if this was the right moment, but there was no perfect moment. There was only now. This morning, Freddy told him and the others about his successful confession yesterday, as he brought his new girlfriend along with him in the morning tea session, so they could share the secret to Connie.

'Oh, I hope I can do it right,' Tertius thought as he waited patiently. 'I hope she feels the same.'

Just then, a dark brown-haired girl walked toward him, Meg Montrose. She was going to the canteen, and when her brown eyes looked at him, a small smile appeared on her face.

"Teru-kun?" she asked, "Are you waiting for someone here? Don't you want to go to the canteen and buy your lunch?"

Tertius cleared his throat, doing his best not to seem tense as he answered, "Yeah. Actually, I'm waiting for you here."

Meg raised an eyebrow and curiously asked, "Me? Why?"

He held out the flower and exhaled, before he steadily spoke, "Because… well, I hope this isn't weird for you, but… uh… I want to give you this flower, and… tell you that… I really like you."

Meg blinked, momentarily caught off guard. She glanced down at the delicate flower in his hand, which obviously was picked thoughtfully. It wasn't a flashy flower, but Tertius's gesture as he held out the flower was really genuine.

Slowly, she took the flower, running her fingers over the petals. "Did you really think about this?"

Tertius sighed as he felt his pulse racing. "I did."

For a few seconds, the courtyard noise faded into the background, as Meg simply looked at him with her brown eyes while her brain was considering, processing and understanding what just happened.

She seemed hesitate at first, but then, she smiled, carefully thought about a proper answer before sincerely replied, "You know what? Actually… I never really thought about it, but… now that you've said it… I think I like you too."

Tertius froze, his eyes widened in surprise, but then he sighed in relief. "Oh, really? Do you like me too?"

She nodded, adjusting the flower between her fingers before tucking it gently behind her right ear and said, "I'll put this here as a sign that from now on, you're my boyfriend."

"Meg…"

The brunette then playfully asked, "So, are we buying our lunch together now, or do you need time to process?"

Tertius exhaled a laugh, shook his head as he answered, "No, no. Let's we go to the canteen."

Meg nudged him teasingly. "Good. Let's go."

As they walked to the canteen to buy their lunch, the flower tucked behind Meg's ear, as Tertius still felt the lingering weight of nervousness, even though now it was lighter than before.

"Uh, by the way, do you mind if we take our lunch with my best friend Freddy and some other classmates? Well, they're mostly your hallmates though…" Tertius scratched his head as they were waiting for their food at the canteen's counter.

"You must be referring to the Cecile Hall's Imperial Scholar's Quintet, right?" Meg giggled. "Along with my best friend, Connie, and our new friend, Elma, right?"

"Well, yeah… It's them." Tertius chuckled. "Freddy told me that all five of them - the quintet - are the most chaotic Imperial Scholars in our year…"

They took the tray and walked towards one of the tables where the others were waiting.

"That's right." Meg repeatedly nodded. "But somehow, they gradually toned down, especially after Becky started dating with Ewen last year and Anya started dating with Damian last week."

"I see." Tertius smiled. "Their relationship matures them."

"Well, they're still a little bit chaotic at some point, but I guess… it's because they aren't really bantering and bickering with each other like they used to do."

"Oh, the bickering. I know that."

"Tertius! Meg! Come here!" greeted Anya as she noticed them walked towards their table. "We take our lunch together."

The new couple reached the table which located near the entrance of the canteen. Becky was asking Connie about her feelings after she started dating with Freddy yesterday. Anya patted Freddy's shoulder proudly, gave a short comment like "That's my cousin." or "She probably will teach you how to wake up on time." to the fang boy.

Both Tertius and Meg then took their seat beside Damian and Anya - the remaining two seats around that table, before they started to take their lunch.

"I guess it's also going smoothly for you, Tertius," said Damian. "Have you given the protective devices to her?"

"Ah, I almost forgot." Tertius took a pair of earpieces and a golden wristwatch out from his pocket before he held out them to Meg. "I also need to give you this."

"Eh? What happen with these devices?" Meg frowned.

"One of my uncles made it for us, so that it can protect us from any danger," Anya said confidently. "I'll explain it more detail, but first, let me tell you my biggest secret. Put your earpieces on, please?"

"Alright then. I'll put these on," said the brunette as she moved, put all of her protective devices on. " I also will keep your secret carefully."

.

"Anyway, I invite all of you for a sleepover in my house this weekend, so we can take care ourselves properly," Anya announced. "Uncle Scruffy… uh, I mean, Uncle Franky will give us a proper instruction for his protective gadget."

"That sounds interesting," commented Meg. "I'll be there."

Right after Anya shared her secret to Meg with the earpieces - the same way she shared it to Connie this morning, she invited the other nine people in the group to a sleepover, which she intentionally planned to solidify the group. With some help from her big family, she somehow managed to plan their activities, starting from the fun part like playing card games or anything people usually did at a sleepover, to the more serious activity like training to use the protective gadget properly or physical training to protect themselves from bad people. Here, when they took their lunch together at school, she told the others about her plan.

"First of all, we'll walk home to my house together tomorrow, so all of you need to bring your personal supplies tomorrow," Anya explained. "Like a normal sleepover, we'll have some fun, but don't forget that we also will have both the gadget and physical training, so prepare yourself."

"Wow, it's been a long time since the last time I had a physical training with Master Yor." Becky smiled. "Now it'll be fun because all of us will have it together."

"Well, in this situation, we need to have physical training, after all." Ewen shrugged. "It'll help us much."

Becky noticed the flower behind Meg's ear, but just when she wanted to comment about the flower and tease the new couple, a message suddenly appeared on all of the screen of their wristwatches, so they read the message.

"Uh, let me see." Becky pushed some buttons on her pink wristwatch to open the message and read it. "It's from the Intelligence Alliances, and they wanted to inform that they found evidence of transfers from a bank account belonging to Marcus Habsburg to a bank account in the name of Prima Strauss."

"Tertius… Marcus Habsburg is your father's name, right?" asked Anya as she shifted her attention from her yellow wristwatch to her royal cousin.

The third prince of Septevia nodded. "It is, but… who's Prima Strauss? Well, based on the surname, we can conclude that it must be one of Strauss's relatives, but… why it should be Prima of all names?"

"What about the name, Teru-kun?" Meg frowned. "Do you know someone named Prima?"

"Well… actually, my oldest brother, Primus Habsburg, had a twin sister, but she was dead six months after they were born, and… her name was Prima. My mother named her Prima." Tertius sighed. "Anyway, Anya, have Grandpa Sigmund ever mention about Simon Strauss having some relatives or… did you know if some of the people involved in his experiment were his relatives?"

Anya shook her head. "I don't know. Grandpa Siggy never told me whether if Simon Strauss was married or not, and I don't think he remembers it. If you ask me about those scientists… I don't really know if they're his relatives or not."

"Then, who's this Prima?"

"Hmm…"

"Wait a second… Tertius, are you sure that your older sister is dead? What if your father intentionally gave her to Strauss and let him do some experiments on her?" Becky gasped. "Well, if we talk about your kingdom, if your older sister was still alive, not to mention if she was born before your oldest brother, then… she would be the eldest among you and your siblings, and… if we talk about a female first child…"

"I see. Tertius, it is possible that your father deliberately got rid of your older sister, so that no one would think that your father was getting karma for what happened to his older stepsister, Auntie Amanda." Freddy nodded, agreed with what Becky said. "I mean, isn't it just… too obvious?"

"Well… I don't know. My father rarely talks about her, because… anytime we talk about her, my mother will emotionally cry." Tertius shrugged. "Primus will calm her down and ask her to pray for his twin sister."

"Should we ask Mama about it in the sleepover?" asked Anya. "I mean, sure, Mama moved to Covenia even before your father got married with your mother. She even got married with Papa only a few months before your birth, even though she's the older one, but… it's still possible for her to know about something."

"I talked about both Primus and Secundus to Auntie Amanda when I met her, but… I'm not really sure if she knows about Prima as well." Tertius exhaled. "However, there's no harm in trying it."

"Now I wonder if that Prima Strauss will try to attack us as well or not…" Emile rested his chin on his hand. "Moreover, Prima is a neutral name, so we still don't have idea if this Prima Strauss is a male or female, let alone if this one is really Tertius's older sister."

"Anyway, now we just need to focus on the things that we already know," Damian concluded. "Then, we try to find out anything we don't know yet."

"You're right, Jinan." Anya finally smiled. "For now, that's what we need to do."

.

On the next day, at 9 PM…

Alfred toddled around the living room, gripped his stuffed penguin with small, determined hands. He was supposed to be having fun as it was a sleepover after all, but his little forehead was scrunched in deep concentration as he looked up at Damian.

"Big bro Jinan," he announced solemnly, "the scary man isn't here, right?"

Damian blinked. "No, Alfred, he's not here. You don't need to worry about that, at least, for now."

"Are you sure?" Alfred narrowed his blue eyes in suspicion, his tiny voice serious. "Promise?"

Damian crouched, meeting his gaze as seriously as possible. "I promise."

Satisfied with the answer, Alfred nodded, then promptly climbed onto Damian's lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Whoa, okay. Uh, you're heavier than I thought." Damian chuckled.

"Mama says I'm growing up strong," Alfred declared proudly, nestling against him.

Anya smirked as she watched their interaction from the couch. "Wow, Jinan, you're popular with kids now."

"I'm naturally good with children," Damian sniffed, patting Alfred's head. "I used to be the leader, after all."

"You literally yelled at Emile twenty minutes ago." Anya sighed.

"He cheated at poker!"

"Wow, and you guys are usually able to work together when playing old maid…"

"Well, that's a different game."

"Big bro Emile is funny," Alfred chimed in, twisting in Damian's lap. "He fights big bro Jinan a lot."

"It's not fighting, Alfred. It's a disagreement," Damian muttered as he crossed his arms.

Meanwhile, Freddy was crouched under the snack table, quietly setting up the motion sensors that Franky had given him earlier - before he went to the bar with Albert, Loid and Yuri - around the penthouse.

"This will help us later," said Freddy as he adjusted the wires.

"Do you think it will?" Connie teased.

"That's what they want you to think," Freddy shot back, dramatically placed the last sensor like it was a top-secret mission.

Alfred nodded to him. "You're so cool, big bro Freddy!"

"Well, he's not that cool, actually…" Anya deadpanned, but then her eyes widened as an idea came to her mind. "Oh, I know! Freddy, you put some of the motion sensors around the living room, right?"

"Yeah, I put most of them here." Freddy shrugged. "So?"

"Alfred, can we challenge you to participate in a simple spy training activity now?" asked Anya to her younger brother. "The mission is simple. You just need to sneak across the living room without tripping any motion sensors."

"Wait, if that's the case, then…" Freddy placed some couch pillows as 'laser tripwires' before he reported, "I have added obstacles, Agent Starlight."

"Good job, Agent Boo-… I mean, Agent Blink," replied Anya.

"Well, I'll appreciate it more if you call me Agent Foxglove." Freddy smirked.

"Oh yeah, you did like a fanged fox with that left fang of yours…"

"Whatever, I'll always be Foxglove." Freddy rolled his eyes.

"Oh, hold on. We need background music to boost the spirits," Connie suggested as she played a dramatic Spy Wars theme.

"That's a good choice, Agent Viper." Anya nodded.

"Eh? Why viper?" asked Connie curiously.

"I just think it suits you well." Anya shrugged.

"Alright then." Connie sighed. "Alfie, you can start now."

Alfred nodded, then waddled carefully through the course as he was determined to win the challenge.

"Wow, I feel like we're training an actual toddler spy," Damian commented.

"We are, Agent Griffin," replied Anya.

"Why did you keep giving us some codenames?" Damian murmured. "Also, if I'm Agent Griffin, is it better if you become Agent Chimera?"

"No, Jinan, I can't use Mr. Chimera's name." Anya shook her head. "Starlight suits me better, and about the codenames, it was Freddy who called me Starlight first in his 'report', so I just play along."

"Oh, yeah. He did it first."

Alfred suddenly slipped, hitting a lamp, but fortunately, no one was damaged or injured.

"Alfred, are you okay?" asked Anya worriedly as she checked him.

"I'm fine, big sis." Alfred smiled, assured his older sister. "Anyway, can I have a codename like you and the other big sis and big bro?"

"Of course you can, Alfred." Anya smiled back. "How about this? As I'm Agent Starlight, then you're Agent Comet. Do you like it?"

"That's cool, big sis. I like it." He instantly expressed his agreement by hugging Anya. "I'm Agent Comet!"

"Well, that went great." Meg sighed in relief.

Suddenly, right after Anya let go of Alfred's hug, the sensor beeped.

Freddy froze as he stared at the blinking red light under the snack table. "Uh, guys… did you see and hear that?"

The room had gone completely still.

Anya's hand instinctively found Alfred's tiny shoulder, holding him close as the younger boy looked up in confusion.

"Big sis?" Alfred mumbled as his hands clutched his stuffed penguin tightly.

Damian looked at him before he stood up, his eyes glanced sharply toward the window. "We need to check the perimeter."

"You just want an excuse to sound cool, Damian," Emile muttered, but the comment somehow lacked his usual bite.

Becky pulled out her pink wristwatch communicator as she memorized the instruction from Franky before the dinner that their wristwatches were connected with the motion sensors. "If this thing is calibrated right, it should tell us if there's movement within ten meters." She pushed the button. "Start scanning process…"

Freddy, who had positioned the motion sensors earlier as a joke, now felt deeply unprepared for the possibility that someone or something had actually triggered it.

"It could be an animal," Ewen suggested, even though he didn't sound convinced.

"Or someone testing us," Anya murmured as she narrowed her emerald, green eyes.

Just then, a soft thud came from the balcony.

Alfred tensed immediately. "Big bro Jinan, is the scary man here?"

Nobody spoke for a second.

Then, Damian exhaled as he rolled his shoulders back. "Well, we're about to find out."

Freddy glanced between them, then slowly reached for a rolled-up magazine on the table like it was some sort of weapon.

Connie asked, "Freddy, what are you doing?"

"I need something, okay?" replied him.

Meg and Tertius exchanged looks. Meg gripped her golden wristwatch that Tertius had given her yesterday.

Anya, still keeping a protective arm around Alfred, whispered, "Stick together. No one moves alone."

'We need to face it together. If it's really him, then we need to make sure that he won't ever get what he wants,' added her in her own thoughts, sent it to the others through their earpieces.

"Becky's wristwatch's screen flashed. "Movement detected. Balcony, 8 meters."

Freddy swallowed. "Guys…"

A shadow shifted just outside the glass doors, before they heard a knock, which echoed in the silence.

Nobody moved.

Anya's grip on Alfred's shoulder tightened instinctively. Damian stood tense beside her, Freddy held his useless rolled-up magazine like a useless weapon.

Meg carefully exhaled, glancing at Becky's wristwatch screen.

"Still detecting movement," Becky murmured.

Emile cleared his throat. "I'm suddenly regretting not bringing an actual weapon."

"Yeah, well," Ewen muttered, "Freddy's magazine isn't helping much either."

Freddy frowned. "You know what…"

And then, the door handles jiggled.

Alfred's blue eyes widened, as he clung tighter to his stuffed penguin. "Big sis, is it the scary man?"

Nobody had an answer.

Damian took a slow step forward as his hand reached for the door. He hesitated only once before gripped the handle and yanked it open.

A blur of white fur charged into the room.

Anya gasped. "Bond?!"

The Great Pyrenees, Bond, wagged his tail furiously as he bounded into the penthouse, completely oblivious to the tension he had caused. The enormous dog slammed into Freddy, sending him toppling backward over the snack table, the motion sensors beeping wildly as if making a final dramatic statement.

"Ack… Bond… why…" Freddy wheezed, struggling under dog paws.

"I guess you forgot to let him in before you closed the door, Freddy…" Tertius deadpanned.

Alfred, who now was beaming, ran forward to his family dog.

"Bond!!" he squealed as he threw his tiny arms around the fluffy creature's neck. Bond borfed, settling comfortably as Alfred petted him with his enthusiastic tiny hands.

Everyone collectively exhaled.

Emile collapsed onto the couch. "I hate everything."

Meg hid her face in her hands. "We were fully ready to fight an intruder, and it was your dog, Anya."

Anya pressed a hand to her forehead. "Bond, you nearly killed Freddy and gave Alfred a heart attack."

"Worth it," Alfred murmured happily, still nestled against Bond's fur.

Damian rolled his eyes but smirked slightly. "Well, at least we weren't under attack."

Becky glanced back at her wristwatch screen, then she noticed the motion detection had ceased.

Everything was fine, and yet, Damian still found himself glancing toward the locked windows, because this time, it had been Bond, but next time… it might be someone else.

.

"Alfred, why did you wear your kindergarten uniform again? You've taken a shower, right?" asked Anya. "Where's your pajamas?"

"No, big sis! I still need to wear my uniform," Alfred stubbornly refused.

Meg sighed. "Anya's right, Alfie. You can't sleep in your school uniform."

"But big sis Meg… This uniform makes me look like a spy!" Alfred protested.

"Well, your uniform seems promising, but… your stuffed penguin kind of ruins the effect…" Freddy sighed. "I guess even the real spies wear their pajamas when they're sleeping."

"Don't say that to Agent Penguin-boy! He is my sidekick!" Alfred pouted.

Becky frowned. "You mean the guy getting squished in a headlock?"

Anya suddenly got an idea. "Oh, there's an instruction from Mr. Chimera, the boss of our spy organization, P2."

"Really?" Alfred's eyes sparkled. "What did he say?"

"He said that as you and Agent Penguin-boy are the rookie agents in the organization, you both need to know some of the rules that you should obey as a real spy, so you can stay undercover, and one of them is wearing proper pajamas."

"Eh?"

"If not, then you'll be detected by the enemy, or even worst…" Anya paused for a few seconds before she dramatically added, "The Scary Man."

"No! Big sis, I need to take my pajamas!" Alfred quickly ran into his outfit closet. "Wait, should Agent Penguin-boy wear proper pajamas as well?"

"He's just a plushie, so he doesn't need it, but you're a human, so you need to wear it."

"I get it. Thanks for the information, big sis."

"You're welcome," said Anya before she winked at the others.

"Wow, it works." Damian whispered.

"Thanks to my own imagination, though…" Anya giggled. "I used to imagine that I was a spy in my imaginary spy organization."

"Well, you even made a secret code and gave it to me and Damian in the first term of the first grade, so we could crack it." Becky shrugged. "Not to mention that you're a big fan of Spy Wars, and of course, your adoptive father was once the best spy from Westalis."

"Yeah, that's right, Becky." Anya sighed.

A few minutes later, Alfred walked back to his bedroom in his pajamas, still with his stuffed penguin.

"Big sis, did I wear it right?" asked him.

"Perfectly! Good job, Alfred, I mean, Agent Comet." Anya smiled, patted her younger brother's forehead. "This way your enemy couldn't recognize you."

Alfred then asked some of them to read a bedtime story, more precisely, read some of it from his books. Damian sighed in relief as apparently, all of the adults of the big family liked to buy some children books for Alfred, so he didn't need to improvise the story.

Once Alfred was falling asleep, the teenagers walked to the living room to watch some movie before they fell asleep onto the couch.

Chapter 14: The Speculation and the Next Attempt

Summary:

When the group talk about the message from the Intelligence Alliances while watching movies in the living room, Amanda informs them about something that happened long time ago, when one of Septevia's palace servants visited her house in Covenia to check on her and her mother. A few days after the sleepover, Strauss launches his next attempt at school.

A few hours later…

The penthouse living room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the television illuminating the group as they sprawled across couches, chairs and cushions. Ewen, Emile, Elma, Freddy, Connie and Meg were already asleep when the television displayed an old movie titled 'Kiss Distance', the same movie that Anya and Becky watched at the cinema ten years ago and somehow became Becky's all-time favorite movie starring her favorite actress, Rachel. Unexpectedly, the brunette wasn't fully paying attention.

Instead, she had an old, printed intelligence report resting on her lap, its thick pages worn from years of handling. She absently flipped through it with one hand, balancing a bowl of popcorn with the other.

Damian looked at her in disbelief. "Is it really your favorite movie? Are you seriously reading classified intelligence while watching this? Is it better if I changed the movie now? You don't pay attention to it anyway."

"It's my favorite movie and you don't need to change it, and believe it or not, I'm still watching it now. It's the scene where Rachel met Ricky at the first time, right?" Becky shrugged, not looking up. "I'm just good at multitasking. It keeps my brain sharp."

"Are you sure?"

"Should I remind you that I'm an Imperial Scholar?" She traced a finger over a highlighted section. "Anyway, if we're digging into King Marcus's transactions, it makes sense to check older files."

After munching a handful of popcorn, Anya peeked over her shoulder, tilting her head at the complex document layout. "Becky, do you think Prima Strauss's name might be in there as well?"

"Well, I'm not sure yet, though…" Becky admitted as she flipped another page. "If she was involved with Strauss, someone at the palace must have noticed. A servant, perhaps?"

Amanda, who just stepped into the room to check on her daughter, froze.

Something about that sentence, about servants knowing things they weren't meant to, pulled at a thread in her memory.

Tertius caught her hesitation. "Auntie Amanda? Do you know something?"

She sat onto the nearest armchair, pressed her right hand to her forehead. "I wasn't in Septevia when the twins were born, but… I heard whispers."

"Eh? Really?" Becky glanced up from the report. "Auntie Amanda, can you explain it to us?"

Amanda's fingers tightened slightly around the fabric of her cardigan. "A servant visited us in Covenia once, to check on my mother and me. She wasn't supposed to speak of palace matters, but something was off."

Tertius straightened.

Amanda continued, her voice quieter now. "The servant mentioned Marcus's first child, the girl of the twin, Prima, but the way she said it… it wasn't with grief. It was with unease."

Damian leaned forward slightly. "Unease? Auntie, was it like… she suspected something?"

Amanda nodded. "She didn't say what exactly, but she hesitated, like she wanted to say more but couldn't. The only clear thing she told me was…" she paused, before pressed her fingers together. "Her records don't match. There's something wrong with them."

Silence settled over the four teenagers.

Becky flipped back through the intelligence report, scanned for anything remotely connected to Prima.

Anya's fingers curled around the sleeve of her pajama top, unease creeping in.

Damian exhaled slowly, crossed his arms.

Tertius barely moved, though the way his grip tightened against his chair spoke volumes.

If Prima's records didn't match, if her existence had been deliberately altered, then Marcus didn't just lose a daughter.

He erased her.

.

A few days later, at school…

Just when Anya, Damian, Freddy and Tertius walked out from their Language Studies Class to the canteen for the lunch, Anya's telepathic senses picked up unsettling thoughts. She looked around to find a suspicious figure lurking near their classroom building.

She signaled to the three boys to hide with her and turn their earpieces on before she sent her thoughts, 'Something's not right about that man over there. He's watching the school and looking for me.'

Damian sharply replied, 'Really? Anya, are you sure that he's looking for you?'

Anya nodded. 'I'm sure. He clearly thought about my physical appearance. I also can see Strauss's face and a pile of money in his mind.'

'Then, what do we do?'

'Well, now that it was confirmed. We need to contact the others. No reckless moves until we make sure that it's the right time,' Freddy instructed.

Tertius exhaled. 'Agreed. We stay alert but don't panic. Anya, push the emergency button so we can contact the others as well.'

Anya pressed the red emergency button on her yellow wristwatch, triggering a vibration across all devices, right at the time Becky, Ewen, Emile and Elma walked out from their class and both Connie and Meg walked out from the toilet.

Becky turned her earpieces on. 'Anya-chan, what happen? Why do you push the emergency button?'

'Strauss sent one of his mercenaries here, and now he was looking for me,' Anya replied. 'I'm not sure if he sends more than one of them, but… can you guys analyze if there's any strange movement around the school?'

'Wow, finally we can use these devices for real action. It's getting serious here,' Becky commented.

'Alright, stay levelheaded and no rushing decisions, everyone,' Ewen calmly commanded.

'Analyze movements before reacting.' Elma pushed some buttons on her green wristwatch and observed, while at the same time Emile found something on his blue wristwatch and calculated. 'Luckily for us, the real time coordinates are working. Oh, I see movement near you four and the west exit.'

'It's really him! The mercenary confidently moves alone!' Anya confirmed.

Just then, all ten of them silently met, right at the hidden place where Anya, Damian, Freddy and Tertius looked at the mercenary.

'Now, let's do this,' thought Damian as he took control. 'Freddy, block his exit route. Tertius, scan surroundings. Anya, we face that man, but you need to stay behind me.'

Anya's cheeks blushed for a moment before she replied, 'Understood. No resistance, just structured movement.'

Freddy intercepted, 'Alright, I'm closing off his path now. He has no escape option.'

Several minutes later, as he was caught between blocked exits and synchronized movement, the mercenary realized his mistake.

"How did you…"

"You're too confident to do your attempt alone, old man, and that's why you failed," Damian stated.

Freddy smirked. "Strategic execution beats reckless ambition every time."

They were waiting until an Intelligence Alliances officer came there and caught the man.

.

Meanwhile, in a hidden facility…

Apparently, before today's attempted kidnapping, Strauss had tried to kidnap Anya several times with his other mercenaries but had always been thwarted easily by the Intelligence Alliances.

"It seems like, our failure today is different," commented a blonde-haired young woman who then turned her head, looked at the old man beside her and asked, "It's the first time, those teenagers used some protective gadget. Should we handle them ourselves now?"

"Huh, those mercenaries are useless. I can't find any of them who's competent enough for our next plan." Simon Strauss gritted his teeth. "That stupid Nortican spy keeps trying to ruin my plan, and now he even gets help from both WISE and the SSS! Why should they form the Intelligence Alliances with NICE? Then, why should those teenagers have those stupid devices?"

"Then, should we?" The young woman asked again. "You don't want to waste your time anyway."

"Alright then…" Strauss sighed before he asked back, "Are you ready to attack them together with me, Prima?"

"I'm ready, Mr. Strauss," said the woman firmly. 'I'll help you to help her.'

Chapter 15: Does Protecting Each Other Sound Better?

Summary:

A few days after they watched the old movie, Damian and Anya couldn't help but thinking about their relationship.

Anya used to think that she likes being the protector more than being protected, but now that Strauss targeting her again, she starts to think otherwise.

Meanwhile, Damian keeps reminding himself that he needs to protect Anya from Strauss, not to mention that Becky says to him that he's supposed to be the protector for his girlfriend.

However, as they talk about what they think, they realize something better, as both of them can be both the protector and the protected at the same time.

They're protecting each other.

At the sleepover…

Amanda sighed as she rose from her chair, pressed a hand lightly to her forehead. The weight of the memory named whispers from long ago lingered in her mind as she walked back to her room. The living room remained dim, and the only movement came from Becky as she flipped the final pages of the intelligence report.

"Did you find it?" asked Anya as she took a handful of popcorn.

Becky sighed deeply, snapped the document shut before setting it aside. "No. There aren't any clear leads. Also, no mention of Prima yet."

She stretched her arms and let herself sink fully into the couch cushions, finally turning her full attention to 'Kiss Distance'.

On screen, Ricky threatened someone who disturbed Rachel just a few minutes ago, grabbed that someone's shirt as he said, "Keep your hands offa my woman!"

"Oh, I'll always love this part." Becky smiled. "Ricky is so gentleman here…"

She then turned to Damian and added, "See, Damian? I hope you can be like Ricky here. You need to be Anya-chan's protector."

Anya opened her mouth. She was going to say that she still preferred being the protector, but then she remembered about Strauss intention to kidnap her again and closed her mouth, shifted back her attention to the popcorn instead.

"Blackbell, you don't need to say it. I'll always protect Anya even if you don't ask me to," Damian retorted. "Not to mention about that damn Simon Strauss…"

"I know it, Damian, but it doesn't wrong for me to ask you directly about this, right?"

"Well, you're not wrong, though…"

"I won't ever be wrong about something like this," said Becky proudly. "Because I'm an expert, anyway."

"Oh yeah, sure…" Damian rolled his eyes. "You and your obsession with drama."

"I should admit that this movie is interesting to watch." Tertius shrugged. "The chemistry between Ricky and Rachel is quite good. Their characters developed naturally."

"I know, right? They're just that good." Becky nodded.

The four of them relaxed deeper into the couch, watched the rest of the movie silently until the climactic moment unfold in front of them, the one where Ricky kneeled at the riverbank and splashed the river water on himself, flattened his soaked hair. Rachel put both of her hands on her lips as her tears started to form in her eyes, felt grateful that Ricky finally was able to kiss her without his hair getting in the way.

"Why should they kiss countless times like that?" Damian raised his eyebrows as he seemed uncomfortable to see the kissing scene in front of him. "Anya, are you sure, you were watching this with Blackbell in your first school vacation? It was clearly inappropriate for you both to watch at the moment."

Anya yawned, "Don't worry, Jinan. I didn't really watch this scene ten years ago because I fell asleep."

"I see." Damian sighed in relief. "But still, the kissing scene is just too much."

Anya giggled, but then suddenly froze as she realized something. "Oh, Becky, is this why you love this movie and make it your all-time favorite?"

Damian, already skeptical of the movie's logic of the kissing, squinted. "What?"

Anya clasped her hands together in excitement. "Ricky got rid of his pompadour, similar with what Ewen did in both our ninth and twentieth end-of-term galas!"

Damian blinked. "Oh? Ah, you're right. Ewen didn't use his hair gel in those galas, when he danced with Blackbell…" His expression shifting from confusion to pure amusement. "I see. That's a perfect reason."

Becky, who had been peacefully watching her favorite movie, snapped her head toward them with wide eyes. "Both of you, I beg your pardon?"

Damian leaned forward, smirked widely. "So, you subconsciously chose this as your favorite movie because… the hair dilemma reminded you of your moment with Ewen in those two end-of-term galas, right?"

Anya nodded eagerly. "Yes! Ricky had to splash the river water on himself, just like when Ewen let his hair down just for Becky! It's destiny!"

Tertius chuckled as he watched the conversation spiral. "Becky, you have a type."

Becky covered her face with both hands. "I hate this realization."

Damian laughed outright. "Wow, so Becky Blackbell secretly drawn to blonde haired men who have to fight their own hair for love… That's so funny."

"Just sleep and leave me alone, Damian!" Becky took a pillow and threw it at his face.

.

"Let me walk you home again."

"Jinan, you don't need to…"

"I don't want to let another mercenary of that Simon Strauss kidnap you on the way to your house. I need to make sure that you're okay."

"Don't worry, Jinan. If something happens, I'll just push the emergency button on my wristwatch. I can take care of myself."

"No. I'm still worried if something bad happened with you."

Anya sighed. "Are you still thinking about what Becky said to you at the movie night in our sleepover? Well, I know you want to protect me, but I still can protect myself on the way home. You don't need to be overprotective like this."

"I need to, because I love you more than anyone in this world," said Damian firmly.

"Jinan…" Anya exhaled before she added, "Alright then, you can walk me home, but can we talk along the way?"

"Of course, we can. Let's go."

The couple then said goodbye to their best friends before walked to Authen's Penthouse, hand in hand.

"You know, back when we were little kids, I always wanted to be the protector for all people I love," Anya admitted. "But honestly, when you protected me from Strauss's mercenary at school today, I guess… it's not that bad to be the protected one."

"I know, right? That's why I want to walk you home now…"

"Jinan, you really don't have to walk me home every time we know about the kidnapping attempt. It makes me remember that you walked me home as well when Freddy told us about Strauss's first attempt." Anya sighed. "I can handle myself, you know."

"Hmph, that's what you always say, but you still end up being targeted. Not only by Strauss, but also by other bad people if they want to." Damian glared at his girlfriend. "I still remember about the bus hijacking incident, and your father told me that you put yourself in danger many times, so… I'm not taking any chances."

"Pfft, now you sound like Becky anytime we watch that movie. She's always going on about protecting me, about how you're supposed to be my protector while I prefer to protect you." Anya giggled. "Don't you remember about my strong punch anyway?"

"Well, I hate to say this, but… maybe she has a point. I have to take care of you." Damian shrugged. "I do remember about your strong punch - I still can feel the pain of your punch on my face sometimes, but it still sounds funny to me that you… prefer to protect me?"

Anya groaned. "Jinan, I'm serious! If something ever happens, you better not expect me to stand around waiting for you to save me. I definitely will push the emergency button, but I also will try to take care of myself. I'm protecting myself."

"Hmph, not happening," replied Damian confidently. "If Strauss or anyone else shows up, I'm the one doing the protecting."

Anya thought for a few minutes before she sighed, finally concluded, "Then, it's decided! We'll protect each other. That way, no one gets stuck being the damsel in distress."

Damian's hazel eyes widened before he answered, "Fine, but if something happens, let me be the one throwing the first punch. You need to know that I also can punch anyone I want."

"Alright, you can try." Anya shrugged. "But if I see danger first, don't blame me when I beat you to it, when I respond it faster than you."

"Deal!"

Chapter 16: About the Hair, Kiss, Protection and Another Revelation

Summary:

On their way home, as they talk about their conversation in the sleepover's breakfast, some of Strauss other mercenaries unexpectedly strike, surprisingly targeting Damian instead of Anya, crack his purple wristwatch in the process. Anya then realizes that it's time for her to show Damian that she also can protect him.

Meanwhile, a figure looks at them from distance. Turns out, he isn't from the Intelligence Alliances, but he helps them eliminating Strauss's mercenaries.

"Maybe I'm an antisocial, but I'll do anything for my pregnant sister."

Still on the way home…

"Anyway, do you have plan to arrange another sleepover soon, Anya?" asked Damian. "I guess we should do it often now."

"Well, I guess we can have another sleepover next month." Anya rested her chin on her hand. "Then we can watch 'Gobyzilla vs King Chihuahua' together."

"Ah, that strange science fiction movie…" Damian deadpanned. "Don't you want to watch 'Spy Wars' instead of that one?"

"Well, I want to watch both. Is it wrong?"

"Of course not. It's up to you anyway."

"I know." Anya smiled. "Speaking about movie, how can't we realize it sooner that Becky favorites 'Kiss Distance' because somehow, Ricky reminds her with Ewen?"

"Well, is it because we just had a chance to watch it together at the sleepover? But anyway, I still remember the moment when we brought it up at the breakfast in the next morning." Damian chuckled. "Blackbell tried to warn me, but it was Tertius who spilled the bean."

"Yeah, Ewen was speechless at first, but then he simply said to Becky that he was her Ricky, and she was his Rachel." Anya giggled.

"That's my bro Ewen. He always sees the positive things about everything." Damian sighed. "Even so, I still can't believe that Blackbell suddenly challenged me to… you know…"

Anya exhaled. "Honestly, I don't really care about her challenge. We don't need a passionate kiss to prove that we love each other. Don't you think so?"

"Yeah, you're right." Damian paused before he slowly asked, "Do you think… Blackbell was right when she said… that I was a coward? I did just give you a short peck for our first kiss, not the passionate kiss like what Ewen gave her for theirs…"

Anya thought for a few minutes before she genuinely replied, "No, Jinan, because like I said before, we can prove that we love each other with anything, not just a passionate kiss. Becky is just too dramatic. She's a Drama Queen, anyway."

"Wait, are you just saying that your own best friend is a Drama Queen?" Damian couldn't help but smirked.

"What? I'm just saying the fact about her." Anya shrugged. "Even though it was just a short peck, I'm still grateful that at least… you dare to kiss me."

"Anya…"

Suddenly, as they reach a secluded path, some of Strauss's mercenaries emerged from the shadows, separated Damian from Anya. Damian instinctively thrashed, tried to fight back, but the sheer force of the attackers overwhelmed him as they even successfully cracked his purple wristwatch.

'Damn, they're stronger, but I can't let them take me. This isn't how it's supposed to go. I walk her home to protect her. Why is this happening to me?'

'Jinan!' Anya froze for half a second. It wasn't out of fear, but realization. 'Alright then, this is the time. It's not about proving strength, but about protecting someone I care about, and if I hesitate, I'll lose him…'

'I won't hesitate then.'

Anya quickly approached the strongest one of the mercenaries and landed a precise, brutal punch, sending him staggering backward.

'That punch… it's different with the one she gave me ten years ago. It's not about showing off. It's not reckless. She knew exactly what she was doing. She's protecting me.' Damian thought as he watched his girlfriend's quick movement.

Anya exhaled, turned her earpieces on so she could share what she was thinking to Damian. 'Yep. That punch wasn't just about taking him down. It was about making them think twice. If they move again, they'll regret it.'

She walked to her boyfriend, placed herself between him and the rest of the mercenaries. She narrowed her emerald eyes as she sharply said in a cold voice, "Keep your hands offa my w- man! If you try hurting him again, I won't hold back to attack you next time!"

The group froze. Her confidence unsettled them. They weren't expecting a fighter. They were expecting a panicked teenager who would surrender for her boyfriend so they could finish their job and get some money, but instead… they got Anya.

She was only a teenager, but as she was trained by her adoptive parents, a former spy and a former assassin, they must not underestimate her.

One by one, the mercenaries decided it wasn't worth the fight, so they stepped away, dragged their injured ally with them.

Damian, who still tried to catch his breath, watched them go.

"Are you okay?" asked Anya after she was sure that all of the mercenaries were already gone.

Damian exhaled. "Well, I'm fine though, but my wristwatch…"

Anya noticed the damage on the purple wristwatch. "You messed it up."

Damian rolled his wrist, tried to feel if it still worked. "Yeah. I guess it didn't protect me this time."

"Well then, I guess we just need to call Uncle Scruffy to fix it." Anya sighed. "Also, you don't need to go back to the dorm tonight."

"What do you mean?"

Anya shrugged. "Just stay at my house tonight."

"Again? Well…" Damian stiffened, caught off guard by the offer. 'Stay over at the Authen's Penthouse? Well, it's not my first time to stay there, but… this time, why does that feel so… different?'

Damian cleared his throat. "Are you sure, all of your parents will allow me to stay?"

"Oui!" Anya grinned. "What? Are you scare that Chichi or Papa will interrogate you?"

Damian couldn't help but laughed. "I guess? But… I think I'll survive."

They continued walking as Damian started to talk about something else. "By the way, is it just me or did you really… almost say the exact same line which Ricky said while protecting Rachel in 'Kiss Distance'?"

"Well, yeah, I said it, but I remember that you're not a woman, so I said that you're my man."

"Oh, come on. Does it prove that I'm really a coward?"

"No. Both giving a short peck and being the protected one doesn't mean that you're a coward." Anya shook her head. "Even though it was just a short peck, it was still our first kiss, and… we already talked about this, right? That we're protecting each other?"

"You're right." Damian finally smiled. "It's not that bad to be protected by you. Now, I'm just so proud of my strong woman."

Anya giggled, before they shared another short peck and walked into the apartment building.

Unbeknownst to them, just a few minutes later, all of the mercenaries that attacked them were killed by someone. A tall man with long, silver hair and a sword inside his walk stick.

'I'm not doing this for you, my former colleague.' He thought. 'I'm only doing this for my pregnant younger sister.' 

Chapter 17: The Unexpected Reunion and the Recent Situation

Summary:

As he walks to his secluded apartment, Hemlock remembered about his reunion with his long-lost younger sister six years ago. Both of them aren't using their real names anymore, but he knows it's her. He just knows.

Six years after the reunion, he's silently grateful that his younger sister lives happily now, with his brother-in-law, and that's why when he knows about her pregnancy, he wants to make sure that his younger sister won't ever be too tired in her job. He silently helps her by eliminating those who try to kidnap her honorary niece.

Unfortunately, it makes the Intelligence Alliances don't have clue about Strauss's recent facility, where he waits for the final moment when he'll take his subject back with his assistant, Prima.

Notes:

Alright, so now it's officially revealed that the man in the previous chapter is Hemlock. I just want to write more about him in this fic, so I decided to exclusively write about him in this chapter, though I also need to write the consequences of his action that the Intelligence Alliances won't be able to track Strauss's whereabouts.

Happy reading!

Six years ago, in Loid and Yor's wedding reception…

The gathering was small. Carefully curated. No one outside the trusted circle had been invited - those who knew the truth behind the Forger's delicate arrangement who mostly were fellow WISE's agents and Garden's assassins. The evening air carried the warmth of muted laughter and the clinking of glasses, but beneath it lay an unspoken thread of secrecy.

Amidst all of them, Hemlock lingered near the edge of the Shopkeeper's garden, watching. He hadn't stepped into a crowd like this in years. At least, not under his true identity, but tonight, it wasn't his own presence that unnerved him. It was hers.

Then, as if fate itself willed it, she turned.

Fiona Frost.

The name meant little. They had both abandoned their real ones long ago, but Hemlock knew. He just knew.

Her silver hair was pulled neatly back, her icy composure unwavering even in a moment meant for joy. Yet, when her gaze flickered toward him, just for a heartbeat, he saw the faintest shift. It wasn't shock nor recognition either. It was something deeper.

Hemlock took slow steps forward, weaving through the guests until he stood within reach. The reception noise hummed in the background, but for him, the world had gone quiet.

"You're here," he murmured, uncertain if he was daring her to deny it.

Fiona, ever the master of restraint, merely exhaled. "Of course, I am. Handler insisted I attend, like the Shopkeeper of the Garden insisted yours."

Hemlock's lips twitched at the mention of their superiors, but his chest tightened. She wasn't denying it.

Silence stretched between them. It wasn't awkward, but it was charged. It was as if they were standing at the edge of something neither of them knew how to cross.

Then, almost imperceptibly, Fiona's grip tightened around the stem of her champagne flute. "You knew?"

That was all she asked, and yet it was everything.

"Yes."

No unnecessary explanations. No dramatic declarations. The simplicity of the truth was enough.

For a fleeting moment, Fiona lowered her gaze, the flickering candlelight catching against the glass in her hand. Then, just as quickly, she straightened. "You should go."

Hemlock expected it. He expected the dismissal, the rejection. They weren't supposed to have families anymore, after all, ever since their parents were divorced because of their differences in citizenship, but even as she turned her attention back to the reception, he could see it. The way her breath hitched, how her fingers hesitated before setting the glass down.

She had felt it too.

The unspoken bond of two ghosts who should have been strangers, yet never truly were.

As the celebration continued, Hemlock remained at the edge of the garden, kept watching his sister. He wasn't intervening nor forcing anything either. He was just existing in her orbit, knowing that somehow, that was enough.

.

A few days ago, in a cafe…

It wasn't a special cafe. Just the ordinary one near Berlint General Hospital with dim lightning, soft murmurs of conversation and the clinking of cups against saucers. Hemlock wasn't here for the ambiance. He had followed a lead, something about whispers of an intelligence leak - about his target. Now, he was nursing an untouched cup of coffee as he listened.

But then, amidst the ordinary hum of life, he heard her name.

"…Fiona's been cutting back at the hospital. Can't blame her, though. She's got the little one on the way."

Hemlock nearly knocked over his coffee.

The voice belonged to a passing customer, chatting idly with someone at a nearby table - both probably were nurses from the hospital based on their clothes and their conversation itself. He wasn't sure what stunned him more, whether it was the casual mention of his sister, or the fact that her life had changed in a way he never expected.

Pregnant.

Fiona was pregnant.

Hemlock sat frozen, watching as the conversation continued without any awareness of the shock they had just delivered to a man who should have known.

"…Franky's been hovering over her, you know how he is. He dotes on her, but in that bumbling way of his, do you think he'll be able to keep up once the baby comes?"

Hemlock's grip on the cup tightened. Franky…

Now, not only was his sister expecting a child, but she had married Franky Franklin - a man Hemlock had only ever seen entangled in informant work, barely scraping by with half-successful intelligence schemes, and now… he was Fiona's husband?

A sharp exhale left Hemlock's lips as he leaned back, the cafe chatter fading into a distant blur. Fiona, the woman who kept her emotions locked away, had built a life. The one he wasn't a part of.

Had she thought of telling him? Or had she assumed he was too deep in his own shadowed work to care?

Regardless, one thing was clear, that Fiona had a family now, and Hemlock would ensure no harm ever reached it. That was why, when he eavesdropped the conversation between Chief Klaus and the Shopkeeper about the Intelligence Alliances' recent job to capture all of Strauss's mercenaries who tried to kidnap Anya, which potentially made Fiona exhausted, he decided to eliminate anyone of them whom he found, including them who attacked Damian and was threatened by Anya in their latest attempt.

Unfortunately, there were consequences that must be taken seriously because of his actions…

.

A week after the recent kidnapping attempt, in the Shopkeeper's living room…

The quiet hum of the room was a stark contrast to the heated discussion that had just taken place. The air was thick with unspoken frustration, lingering like the scent of aged tobacco in the dimly lit room, though even Hemlock knew that there wouldn't ever be the scent of real aged tobacco since the Shopkeeper didn't allow anyone to smoke in the room.

The Shopkeeper sat at his desk, fingers steepled as he watched Hemlock with a calculating gaze.

"They weren't thrilled," he said finally, deceptively with calm voice. "Not one bit."

Hemlock stood a few feet away, arms crossed, posture rigid, but not defensive. He knew what was coming.

In their discussion, Sylvia had been blunt, Chief Klaus had been irritated, and Andrew had barely concealed his frustration. The Intelligence Alliances had been chasing Strauss for months, even before the kidnapping attempt was started, and Hemlock's recent handiwork had effectively wiped their latest lead off the map.

"They were mercenaries," Hemlock replied, voice even. "Their only purpose was to take the girl. Their existence alone was a threat."

The Shopkeeper exhaled slowly, tapped his fingers against the wooden desk. "That might be true, but dead men don't talk."

Hemlock didn't flinch, but his silence was telling.

"You're efficient," the Shopkeeper continued, "ruthless when needed, but these intelligence officers need something tangible. A trail to follow. Interrogation works best when there's actually someone left to interrogate."

Hemlock's jaw tightened slightly, but he said nothing.

"You're protecting your honorary niece, Thorn Princess's daughter…" the Shopkeeper mused. "You're also protecting your sister, Nightfall. I understand that, but next time, leave one alive."

The weight of the directive settled between them like a quiet ultimatum. Hemlock didn't argue, because he wasn't one to debate orders, but the resolve in his stance remained.

The Shopkeeper leaned back, watching him closely. Then, with a smirk that barely touched his eyes, he added, "Unless, of course, you'd prefer the Intelligence Alliances to start sniffing around you instead."

That got his attention.

Hemlock gave a curt nod, accepted the message for what it was - a necessary correction, not a reprimand.

He swore to himself that next time, he would make sure that one of the mercenaries would stay alive.

.

Meanwhile, in Strauss's facility…

The dim glow of fluorescent lights cast sharp shadows across the cold metal walls of the facility. Prima stood near the data terminal, arms crossed, watched the screen flicker with surveillance footage - grainy images of schoolyards, city streets, and nine unsuspecting teenagers moving through their everyday lives.

Strauss sat across from her, drummed his fingers methodically against the steel table. His expression was unreadable, calculated. He had waited long enough.

"They're together almost all the time, with their protective devices," Prima murmured, analyzing the gathered intelligence. "If we move on one, we move on all."

Strauss exhaled, a slow smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Then we'll make it a lesson in unity, won't we?"

He leaned forward, tapped the screen. Anya Authen, Damian Desmond, Becky Blackbell, Ewen Egeburg, Emile Elman, Elma Eglantine, Freddy Klaus, Connie Carmichael, Tertius Habsburg, Meg Montrose… a cluster of privilege and potential, unaware of what loomed just beyond their well-manicured existence.

"They've grown accustomed to comfort," Strauss continued. "Which means they won't expect disruption."

Prima's fingers traced a path along the screen. "Eden College is out of the question. Too many eyes. Too many variables."

Strauss nodded. "Then outside of it. A controlled environment. Somewhere we dictate the rules."

The blonde-haired young woman studied him carefully. "Are you certain this is the right time?"

Strauss didn't hesitate. "Hemlock's interference has delayed us long enough. We reclaim the subject now, or we risk losing her forever."

Silence stretched between them, heavy with implication.

Prima inhaled, then nodded. "I'll set the arrangements. We'll need precision."

Strauss smiled, an unsettling sharpness in his gaze. "Then let's teach them the cost of arrogance."

Notes:

Chapter 17 on June 17th? It's unintentionally happened, okay?

We'll reach the final arc soon, so… yeah.

Chapter 18: The Next Sleepover: Fractured Allegiances and the Price of Memory

Summary:

When Anya gives Damian his repaired purple wristwatch, she announces to the gang about the date of their next sleepover, without knowing that Strauss and Prima will attack them on that day.

In the sleepover, right when Anya tries to persuade Alfred to go to sleep, Strauss and Prima launches their final move, which causes some unexpected things to come to the surface…

A week after the double attempt, in the morning tea session…

"Oh, finally I can use it back in action!" said Damian as he received his repaired wristwatch from his girlfriend. "Anya, can you convey my gratitude to Mr. Franky?"

"Of course, Jinan, but I guess, you don't need to be that formal when you say his name. Just call him Uncle Scruffy or Uncle Franky." Anya smiled. "He also left a message for you to take good care of your wristwatch. Don't let it get damaged again, okay?"

"Okay!" he quickly wore the purple wristwatch around his left wrist. "I promise, that'll be the only time it was broken."

"Then, how about the next sleepover at your house next month, Anya-chan? Have you decided the date yet?" asked Becky.

Anya nodded. "It'll start from the second Friday of the month, and like the first one, we'll watch some movies on the first night."

"Well, hopefully all of us will be awake until the last movie…" Ewen sighed. "Some of us just couldn't stay awake in the first sleepover, even myself."

"Me too. I barely made it through the second movie," Emile admitted as he nodded repeatedly, then rubbed his temples with mock frustration.

Meg chuckled, took a sip of her tea before she suggested, "Maybe this time, we need to set a challenge. Whoever falls asleep first has to cook breakfast!"

"Oh, that's a good idea, Meg!" Anya flicked her fingers. "I'll tell 'the elders' of the Authens - my grandparents and my parents - about your idea."

Freddy looked up with interest. "Speaking about the food, what about the first dinner? Will Auntie Amanda bake her special carrot cake again? Honestly, it's so delicious!"

"You're right, Freddy. I just wanted to eat it again and again right after I tasted it," Connie added as she adjusted her glasses, then turned to Anya, "So, will she?"

"She will. All of us like it, anyway, so just wait for the sleepover." Anya winked.

"Oh, I'm looking forward to it!" Freddy widened his smile as Connie nodded.

"But anyway, can I help her to bake it next month?" Emile offered. "I also want to learn the recipe. Is that okay?"

"Well, you can directly ask her in the sleepover, Emile." Anya shrugged. "I guess Mama won't ever mind teaching you the recipe, but you still need to confirm it yourself to her."

"Oh, alright then. I'll ask her."

"So, anyone have ideas for the games or activities?" Anya asked back.

"Poker!" Emile shouted happily.

"No, Emile. I know you'll cheat again." Damian crossed his arms. "For the card games, I suggest playing anything but the poker."

"Hey!" Emile protested.

"Anything else?" Anya asked again. "We need to remember about the original purpose of our sleepover. It's not just about having fun and playing card games. It's also about how we maintain our coordination to face upcoming threats from Strauss."

"Hmm…" Elma tapped her finger against the rim of her teacup. "Then, how about we plan more spy training exercises? Last time, we barely got through the obstacle course before Ewen tripped into the snack table."

Ewen groaned. "Don't remind me."

The others laughed at the space lover boy, except Tertius who just hesitantly smiled. He somehow could feel that something was off. Even though their discussion was lively as usual, a strange tension lingered at the back of his mind. It was like something unseen was preparing to move.

Meg noticed. "Teru-kun, what happened? Why don't you laugh with us? Is there something wrong?"

Tertius frowned slightly. "I don't know. I just feel like something's off…"

He turned to the others and asked, "Do any of you feel the same?"

Becky asked back, "Tertius, what do you mean with 'off' here?"

"Well, I don't know," Tertius admitted. "Like… there's something in the background. It's quiet, but it's there."

Freddy set down his cup, thought about what his best friend said. "It could be the usual paranoia, couldn't it?" asked him with a slight edge to his tone.

Anya caught the vague flicker of unease in Damian's thoughts when she sipped her tea. Uncertainty.

"I don't think it's nothing," the pinkette murmured. "But it's not something yet."

Meg leaned forward, fingers laced together. "Should we double-check security before the sleepover?"

Ewen made a face. "Again? I thought we reinforced the last protocol."

"Well, it doesn't hurt to review, only to make sure," Damian muttered. His purple wristwatch flashed briefly, a subtle glitch before stabilizing.

Becky sighed as she absentmindedly stirred her tea. "Maybe we're overthinking it. The last sleepover went fine."

"Exactly," Freddy said, but he wasn't smiling.

.

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit study…

Strauss poured himself a cup of rich black coffee, the steam rising as he swirled the liquid absently. Prima sat across from him with a sharp gaze, expression unreadable.

"They won't see it coming," Strauss smoothly said.

Prima slowly exhaled. "Are you assuming they won't anticipate anything?"

Strauss chuckled. "Of course, they'll be alert, but comfort breeds carelessness. They think they're safe, surrounded by friends, trusting their wristwatches and encrypted earpieces. That's when control slips."

Prima adjusted the cuff of her coat, stared at the blueprint before them. The Authen's Penthouse mapped out with meticulous precision. The weak points were noted. Surveillance feeds analyzed.

"They're getting sharper," said the young woman. "Every time we push, they adapt. It's becoming increasingly inefficient to approach them the same way."

Strauss smirked, tapped a finger against a specific entry point, which was the balcony overlooking the city skyline.

"You misunderstand," he murmured. "It's not about approaching them the same way, but about making them believe there is no new approach."

Prima remained silent, watching as Strauss methodically outlined their next move.

"Timing is everything," he continued. "The moment she loses focus, when trust is strongest, that's when you break it."

Prima's fingers curled slightly around the edges of the blueprint. She had seen this pattern before.

She had lived it, but she said nothing.

Strauss smiled, sipped his coffee. "Prepare your position. When they're comfortable… we strike."

Prima scanned the latest infiltration reports, tracked their movements. "They're preparing. I can feel it."

"They don't know," Strauss corrected with a smooth voice. "They only suspect."

Prima's gaze flickered slightly. "Their technology is advancing. The wristwatch communicators alone are enough to create delays in tracking."

Strauss smirked. "Which is why we create the illusion of control, right before we break it."

Both of them turned back their attention to the blueprint of the Authen's Penthouse, with weaknesses marked.

"They've reinforced defenses," Prima pointed out.

"They've reinforced the wrong ones," Strauss replied.

Prima's fingers curled slightly over the edge of the table. "What if they see through it?"

Strauss exhaled as he leaned back. "Then we'll adjust."

Prima narrowed her sapphire blue eyes. Adjustments had consequences.

"But Anya will see through the deception…" she murmured.

Strauss smiled slightly, tapped the table exactly where Anya would be positioned during the attack.

"Then, we make sure she doesn't have enough time to act on it."

.

Three days before the sleepover…

The morning tea session should have felt normal, but it didn't.

The garden was elegant as always, steaming cups lined the table, and conversation flowed, but something felt different.

Becky stirred her tea, watched the faint ripples form. "Okay, is it just me, or is the atmosphere weird lately?"

Ewen shrugged. "Maybe it's just the weather, Becks."

"But the forecast said clear skies all week," Elma pointed out.

Tertius leaned forward slightly, arms crossed. "It's not the weather. I can feel it," he muttered. "There's something… moving. I don't know what it is, but it's… too quiet."

Damian glanced at Anya as he raised an eyebrow. "Do you feel it too, Anya?"

Anya nodded, thoughtful. "I do, Jinan."

Freddy straightened. "So, what do we do?"

Meg tapped her fingers against the table. "We already agreed to reinforce security before the sleepover, but… what if it's not enough?"

Emile sighed, run a hand through his bowl cut hair. "You're making it sound like an invasion's coming, Montrose."

"No," Anya murmured. "It feels like they're waiting."

Everyone went silent.

Damian frowned, adjusting his purple wristwatch as the screen flickered briefly, just long enough to seem like a malfunction before stabilizing.

Anya narrowed her emerald eyes. 'Wait. That wasn't a glitch.'

.

Meanwhile, across the city…

Strauss studied his watch with measured precision. The countdown had begun.

Prima stood beside him, folded her arms, observed the final attack sequence preparations.

"They're sensing it," she murmured.

Strauss smirked. "Let them."

"They've reinforced their defenses."

Strauss exhaled, tapped a blueprint. "The wrong ones, Prima."

Prima narrowed her sapphire blue eyes. "Anya knows something is coming. What if she reacts before you expect?"

Strauss chuckled. "She will react, but it'll be too late."

He leaned forward, flicked through the surveillance feed. The penthouse perimeter monitoring showed slight inconsistencies in recent scans - movement was sharper, security shifts had changed.

"They suspect," Strauss mused, satisfied.

Prima remained silent. She wasn't satisfied.

"They know we'll attack," the young woman murmured. "They just don't know when."

Strauss smiled, then said smoothly, "That is precisely why they'll lose."

.

In the sleepover…

Ever since they arrived at the Authen's Penthouse, the situation there was quiet. Too quiet. Anya felt a lingering unease settle in her chest despite the relaxed atmosphere. The wristwatches were connected. The motion sensors were armed. The earpieces hummed softly between the group.

At night, when they just wanted to start the movie night, Alfred refused to sleep in his bedroom. He clutched his stuffed penguin and walked to the living room.

"Big sis, let me watch those movies with you all tonight," Alfred pleaded. "That way, I can sleep with you all here as well."

"No, Alfred. You just can sleep in your room for now. Operation Sleepover is an exclusive mission which was only given to the chosen agents… all of them who have these special earpieces and wristwatches."

"But I want to watch 'Spy Wars' with all of you!" shouted the little boy.

"Well, alright then. You can watch one or two of them, but then you should go back to your bedroom and sleep there, okay?" Anya sighed. "Here, sit down between us."

"Thank you, big sis!" The raven-haired boy then sat down on the couch between Anya and Damian. "Will we watch 'Spy Wars' first?"

The gang then discussed about which movie between 'Gobyzilla vs King Chihuahua' and 'Spy Wars' that they should watch first, but unbeknownst to them, Simon Strauss was already watching them nearby.

Across the street, Strauss adjusted his scope, observed the penthouse's glow through its towering windows. There, he could see Anya Authen, who sat comfortably and laughed softly as she ruffled Alfred's hair. She was happy and safe, but that was about to change.

A tap sounded on his shoulder. Prima stepped beside him. Strauss smirked. "Let's see how well their little gadgets hold up."

Inside the penthouse, Damian suddenly stood up as his fingers brushed against his purple wristwatch. The numbers flashed red for a brief second before returning to normal. He frowned. Had there been movement?

Anya and Alfred looked at him curiously.

"What? Is there something wrong?" Freddy asked Damian from another couch as he adjusted one of the remaining sensors.

Damian hesitated. "I don't know. Maybe it's just a glitch."

Then, Becky's pink wristwatch blared silently, detected an unidentified movement from 8 meters to 5 meters from the balcony.

Something, or someone, was getting closer.

Damian straightened as he walked towards the door to the balcony. His fingers hovered over the door handle. Freddy moved swiftly, scanned the motion detectors he had placed since a month ago. All sensors blinked red.

Meg inhaled sharply. "Is it what I think it is?"

A knock. Soft. Deliberate.

Then the door handle shifted.

Alfred gasped as he clutched his stuffed penguin tighter. His big blue eyes turned to Anya, seek reassurance from his older sister, but Anya's face had already turned serious.

"Agent Comet," she whispered, gripped his hand, "stay close."

Damian immediately positioned himself protectively in front of Anya. Freddy edged toward the hallway as his fingers curled tightly around his earpiece.

Becky's pink wristwatch updated, identified the detected movement as an unknown intruder.

After a silent communication with Anya, Damian took a slow breath and reached for the door again. Meg grabbed Tertius's sleeve, unsure whether to run or prepare for a fight.

Outside, Simon Strauss smirked. Everything was going exactly as planned.

Then Damian yanked the door open.

It was her. Prima Strauss was standing in the moonlight.

And behind her, there he was. Simon Strauss was watching as if he had already won.

Tertius's breath caught in his throat. Prima's face was just like his oldest brother, Primus. She absolutely was Primus's twin sister, and of course, his older sister. Their father really gave her away to Strauss.

That blonde-haired baby girl from the old portraits their mother clung to was growing up. Now she was a young lady with sharp gaze and unreadable face.

"The third prince of Septevia, Tertius…" Prima finally said. "You shouldn't be here."

Tertius stiffened. "You…" His voice cracked.

Damian cut in sharply as his hazel eyes locked onto Strauss. "What do you want?"

Strauss chuckled as he scanned the group. "We're just here to collect what's already ours."

Alfred visibly trembled, pressed himself closer to Anya's side.

Prima exhaled, closed her sapphire blue eyes briefly. Her hand then moved toward her coat pocket.

Anya saw it first.

The glint of metal. A weapon? A device? Whatever it was, her instincts screamed to herself to move.

"EVERYONE, GET DOWN!" shouted Freddy.

Prima wasn't aiming at them. Her fingers closed around her earphone and crushed it, disrupted communication signal and severed the connection.

Strauss smiled wider.

Unexpectedly, Prima whispered to Tertius, "Run."

But still, it was too late.

The first explosion rattled the balcony doors.

Bond borfed sharply, launching toward the shattered glass.

Tertius grabbed Meg, pulled her toward cover.

Damian shielded Anya as their wristwatches were scrambling to recover lost signals.

And in the chaos, surprisingly, Prima made her choice.

She turned against Strauss.

The old scientist stiffened, sensing the shift before it even happened. "You hesitate at the crucial moment, Prima. That's why you'll never succeed."

Prima's grip tightened. Her doubt had become certainty.

Anya read her minds.

'I used to think that we need to erase her telepathy, so this old man won't ever hurt her after this, but… now I'm not sure if he really wants it to happen. Is there something that he doesn't tell me about that machine?'

"Do you think erasing my telepathy is the answer?" asked Anya with steady voice to the young woman.

Prima hesitated, but Strauss didn't.

"She doesn't need to think," Strauss cut in smoothly. "She knows, and she's right. You have no idea what kind of potential you're wasting since you ran away from that exploded facility."

Damian growled lowly, shifted his stance protectively. "Oh yeah? Potential for what? Being your puppet in your stupid movement?"

Strauss laughed. "Oh boy, you make it sound so cruel. It's 'conquer the peace' movement. I just want to make some smart diplomats and soldiers to achieve world peace."

Anya blocked out his voice, focused on Prima instead.

"Tell me. Do you think erasing my telepathy means… I get to be normal?" She repeated her question.

Prima tightened her grip on her sleeve. "You deserve to be normal," she murmured.

"I deserve to choose for myself."

Prima flinched.

Then Strauss sighed, shook his head. "Oh, I do love a tragic dilemma."

But then he smirked. "Prima, you didn't know, did you?"

Prima froze. "What?"

"Oh, I see. You read the false description of the machine I developed, so let me tell you the truth." Strauss tilted his head slightly, amusement growing. "That machine doesn't erase telepathy. It erases memories."

Silence.

Damian tensed immediately, instinctively stepping closer to Anya.

Freddy swore under his breath.

Becky's pink wristwatch flickered - Sylvia's voice crackled through, unreadable but urgent.

Prima's world shattered.

"No. No, that's not…"

"Oh, but it is," Strauss interrupted with his mocking voice. "Did you think I refined the machine just to erase telepaths? No, I still need them. The telepathy stays. Only the memories are erased, so I can control the subjects completely, as my soldiers."

Prima staggered back. "No. No, I… I didn't know about it. I swear… I didn't know."

Anya's heartbeat hammered.

"If you… erase my memories…" she whispered, then continued it in her mind. 'I won't remember my family… I won't remember my friends… I won't even remember myself, and… I'll be Strauss's soldier…'

'No, I can't let it happen to myself!'

Prima finally understood.

She had never asked herself if erasing telepathy was what Anya actually wanted.

No, she wasn't trying to save Anya.

She was trying to save herself.

Strauss sighed, seeing the shift in her sapphire blue eyes. "I guess she was unstable from the moment she learned about that false description of the machine," he muttered. "She wanted this, but she didn't want to be the one forcing it."

Prima exhaled shakily, her entire world collapsed in real time.

Strauss saw it too late.

He reached for Anya, but Prima moved first. Her hand snapped out, grabbed Straus's wrist before he could reach the pinkette.

"I'm sorry, but she's not coming with you."

Silence slammed into the room.

Strauss's smirk faded completely.

Prima was no longer playing his game.

The group started their actions. Freddy activated an emergency jammer. Becky launched a stun grenade. Damian shielded Anya as they tore toward the exit.

Prima shattered Strauss's hidden control device.

Strauss lunged for her but missed.

The group escaped, and Prima Strauss, who actually was Prima Habsburg, had made a choice for herself for the first time in her life.

Chapter 19: Because We're Siblings, After All

Summary:

As the adults investigate the sleepover's incident, they evacuate the group to the old Forger-Authen apartment unit, along with Alfred and Prima. When the young woman falls asleep on the couch, she dreams of what it would be like if she grew up with the family she longed for, if only her father hadn't given her up to that mad scientist just because she was a girl, and surprisingly, her youngest brother dreams of the same thing…

"Big sis, where are we now?"

The adults of the Authens commanded the teenagers to escape from the penthouse, to evacuate themselves to their old apartment unit.

"This was our home, Alfred, before we moved to the penthouse," Anya answered her younger brother's question. "You lived here for a year and a half."

"Wait a minute. You five used to say that this apartment unit was small…" Freddy frowned. "Now that I see the unit myself, I guess it doesn't seem as small as you said before."

"Freddy, this apartment unit wasn't this big before. This part of the unit over here used to be the Forger's, and that part over the storage room over there used to be the Authen's. Grandpa Siggy asked Papa to unite these units and renovate it." Anya pointed out.

"Ah, that ridiculous preference…" Becky sighed. "Sometimes I still wonder about your family's preference of their house, and of course, their decision to sell their big mansion…"

"Becky, I already told you about their reason…"

"I know, Anya-chan. I just a bit regret that you guys just easily sold such a big, comfortable mansion like that." Becky waved her hands. "That's already happened anyway, and honestly, the penthouse is comfortable as well, so I don't really think that it's a bad decision, after all."

"I hope so." Anya sighed, then pulled Alfred into her old room. "Here, Alfred. We can sleep here for tonight."

"Was this your old room, big sis?" Alfred looked around. "The wall's color is just too girly."

"Just you wait until you see the ceiling, Alfred. There are so many glow-in-the-dark stars."

"Really?"

The Authen siblings then closed the door, right after Anya gave permission to the others to sleep anywhere in the apartment unit, but all of them decided to sleep in the living room.

"Luckily, they keep this apartment unit, so we can evacuate ourselves here and take a rest." Damian exhaled as he sat down onto the couch. "What a tiring night."

"Well, this unit isn't as big as the penthouse, but it surely feels nostalgic here…" Ewen chuckled. "We used to study together here…"

"Only five of us, to be exact," Becky corrected. "We were the witnesses of this unit's transformation."

"I don't really know about this place, but I also can feel how comfortable it is to live here," Elma genuinely commented. "It's such a simple but warm place."

"Umm… Are you really sure that I can take a rest here with all of you?" Prima uncomfortably asked. "I did help you all escape from Strauss, but… I also…"

"At least now you know about your mistake, so it's fine, Prima," Tertius assured. "Now I'm just… happy to know that you're alive. Our mother will be happy to meet you."

"Do you think so? But… how about our father?" Prima frowned. "Strauss told me that he gave me away to him…"

"But I also can see his guilt anytime he sees mom crying… thinking about you," Tertius confessed. "Dad loves mom so much, after all, so I don't think he'll just easily ignore you, once you come back to Septevia."

"I'm still not sure if I need to come back there," said the young woman as she absentmindedly held a small ring hanging from a necklace around her neck. "Won't my presence only cause problems for our father? That's why he sent so much money to my bank account… to further distance me from our kingdom, from Septevia."

"Prima… mom misses you so much, and both Primus and Secundus need to know that you're still alive," Tertius pleaded. "All of them need to know that Prima Habsburg is still here, not Prima Strauss."

"Well, I wanted to meet them, but…"

"You need time to think about it, right?" cut Anya as she walked into the living room. Apparently, she heard the conversation right after she managed to put Alfred to sleep. "Then take your time well. You don't have to rush just because Tertius asked you."

"Anya…"

Prima exhaled softly. The tension in her shoulders eased a little. "You're right. I guess I'll think about it first."

"Alright, so King Marcus gave Prima away to Strauss, then Strauss used her as his…"

"Uh, no. He didn't use me as his experiment subject. He adopted me, and that's why he gave his surname in my bank account," Prima cut what Damian said as she shook her head. "But he said to me that he started the 'conquer the peace' movement because he felt sorry for me. He said that I had so many potentials to become a good leader, and with the movement, he wanted to show my father that his decision to throw me away was a big mistake."

"I remember now. When the other scientists forced me to study, he sometimes appeared with you and deliberately praised your intelligence in front of me, so that in the end… I wanted to learn to be as smart as you." Anya smiled wryly. "You're that special one."

"You're right. I used to be happy whenever he complimented me like that, but now… not anymore." Prima sighed. "Not after he lied to me about that machine."

"I see."

"Well, I guess now we can conclude that Strauss exclaimed that he cared about Prima, started the movement because of her, then tried to convince Grandpa Siggy to support his movement by using his theory, but Grandpa Siggy disagreed with him, so Strauss was mad at him and then kidnapped Anya…" Damian rested his chin on his hand before he asked both Anya and Prima, "Then, what about the smart diplomats and soldiers which he mentioned in his attack tonight? Do you both have idea about it?"

"I don't know. Strauss was so secretive about his movement, even to me," replied Prima unsurely.

"Hmm… I was separated from the other subjects, so I don't really know about them, but I often heard the scientists mentioned about 'class' and 'field'…" Anya tried to remember. "Something like… 'you're lucky that he didn't promote you to the field, or else, you would need that machine more…' I guess?"

"Wait a minute. More? Does it mean that he used the machine to erase most of your childhood memories? I mean, your memories about all moments happened before he kidnapped you?" Damian's hazel eyes widened.

"I guess so… Maybe, that's why I don't remember clearly about our actual first meeting."

"I can't believe this…" Damian shook his head. "So that means… his 'smart diplomats' would have most of their memories erased, while 'the soldiers' wouldn't remember about themselves at all…"

"Yeah, it can be our conclusion for now, Jinan." Anya shrugged. "We still need to confirm it with the Intelligence Alliances, after all. I think Agent Shadow from NICE already secured some documents about the movement when he rescued me."

"I see." Damian nodded.

"Geez, can we just talk about more lighter things, please?" Becky protested. "Now, because of that stupid attack, our movie session should be canceled."

"You're right, Becky. I still wanted to watch both 'Gobyzilla vs King Chihuahua' and 'Spy Wars' right now." Anya sighed, then yawned. "But I'm also sleepy… That attack really wasted our energy too much…"

"Just walk into your old room and sleep there with Alfred, Anya." Damian tapped Anya's shoulders as he accompanied her to her old room's door. "He'll definitely look for you when he wakes up."

"Don't you want to sleep with us here, Jinan?" Anya innocently asked as she opened the door.

"Uh, well… I don't think it's a good idea for now." Damian's cheeks blushed as he noticed that their friends grinned at them at the living room. "I'll be okay in the living room, with the others."

"But don't all of you want to sleep in the bedrooms? We have four more bedrooms here…"

"It's okay. The living room is quite comfortable for us, so you don't need to worry. We'll be okay."

"Alright then…" The pinkette yawned once again before she kissed Damian's left cheek and walked back into her old room. "Good night, Jinan. Good night, everyone."

"Uh, good night…" Damian was stunned. His left hand kept rubbing his left cheek as he walked towards the living room to lie down on one of the couches there.

In just a few minutes, most of them fell asleep, except Prima who removed her necklace and examined the small ring in her hands.

However, right after she noticed her own name on the small ring, her sapphire blue eyes felt heavier… She closed them.

'If only my own father didn't give me away…'

.

A three-year-old boy was sitting beside his sister, a ten-year-old girl, in the garden of their family's palace in Septevia. She was laughing while holding out her pendant - a small ring on a gold chain around her neck.

"Old sis, why did you hold your baby ring?" asked the boy, Tertius.

"I just recently make a wish with this," replied the girl, Prima. "The Greatest Wish."

"What did you wish for, old sis?" asked Tertius curiously.

"I wished to grow up with you and the others - Primus and Secundus." Prima smiled, then tapped her youngest brother's nose as she warned, "Don't tell them both anyway, especially Primus. If he knows about it, he'll say that it's silly."

"Okay! I won't ever tell them." Tertius smiled back.

"There you are, Prima, Tertius." King Marcus walked to them and smiled. "Prima, I'm proud of you because you can be an Imperial Scholar this term. Congratulations."

"Thanks, dad." Prima hugged her father. "Did you tell mom?"

"I did, and she was so happy to hear that. She said she would buy anything you want as a present."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"Can you see that, Tertius? When you study in Eden College, you should become an Imperial Scholar like your sister and brothers. You need to prove that you can be smarter than your Ostanian friends, okay?"

Tertius nodded. "I'll be an Imperial Scholar like all of them."

"Good boy!" King Marcus stroked Tertius's hair. "Now, let's we meet mom, Primus and Secundus at the greenhouse. They're harvesting the sugar roots now."

"Oh, they're harvesting candy!" Tertius quickly ran to the kingdom's greenhouse. "We need to be quick before those candies become too sticky!"

"Dad, should we tell him about the truth?" Prima asked her father. "He'll cry when he finds out that what we harvest today isn't candy but sugar beets."

"Just let him find out for himself, my dear daughter." Marcus held Prima's hand as they started walking…

.

It was 3 AM in the morning when both Prima and Tertius coincidentally woke up at the same time.

"Teru?" Prima noticed it first. "Did you also dream about that? About what would have happened if dad hadn't thrown me out first?"

"I did, and it was frustrating." Tertius deadpanned. "So, the fruit of the sugar roots isn't candy…"

"Well, sugar roots don't have fruit, and the sugar beets are actually the sugar roots'… root." Prima giggled. "Wait, why did you talk about that one?"

"Silly me. I guess it's because our dream is similar with what actually happened." Tertius sighed. "The difference is that… it was Primus who just became an Imperial Scholar back then."

"Really? So, both Primus and Secundus also studied abroad in Eden College, right?"

Tertius nodded. "They did, and both of them are much smarter than me. Primus could become an Imperial Scholar in the fifth grade, while Secundus became one as well in the seventh grade… Now, I'm still waiting for a chance to get my last two Stella Stars…"

Both of them then sat down (or up?) onto their couch as Tertius noticed the small ring in Prima's hands. "You keep your little ring…"

"Well, this is the only proof I have that I'm the Habsburg." Prima weakly smiled. "I'm just a lost princess, anyway."

"And now I find you, old sis…" Their sapphire blue eyes met as they looked at each other. "Welcome home."

"You're right, Teru…" Prima exhaled. "I'm home."

Chapter 20: The Confirmation and the Misunderstanding

Summary:

When Amanda confronts Marcus by phone, he confirms that he doesn't know about Strauss's kidnapping attempt and just wants the scientist to bring his daughter away from him.

A few hours later, two teenagers talk about it, but their friends misunderstand their conversation as something else…

"Why did you both talk about it at 2 AM anyway?"

At midnight…

Back when the apartment unit was renovated, the family decided to install telephones in all bedrooms, so it would make it easier for them to receive calls at night.

So, when all of those telephones in the apartment unit rang while the escapees were all still fast asleep, one of them could wake up and answered the phone in one of the bedrooms.

"It's Anya Authen here. Who is this?" Anya yawned as she was still sleepy. "Oh, Mama, what's up? Have you asked Uncle Marcus about his involvement with Strauss?"

Her emerald eyes widened as she listened to her mother's answer. "Really? So, the money isn't about me at all? It's all about Prima, right? I see. Yeah, she's here with us. Tertius asked her to return to Septevia, but she said that she needed time to think first." Anya exhaled. "Now, I feel bad for Uncle Marcus. We accused him of being involved in the kidnapping attempt, even though he doesn't even know anything about your life after marriage, Mama."

The pinkette giggled. "It couldn't help. I got that nightmare right after I wondered if it would be dangerous for you to be found by the kingdom, because you warned us countless times to not tell Tertius about you in those three years…"

"Alfred is sleeping now. Both of us are in my old bedroom…"

She could hear that her adoptive father suddenly gave a warning about a specific thing behind her biological mother, so she sighed. "Well, I asked him to sleep with us, but he refused, even though Alfred actually wanted him to read him a bedtime story… Yeah, he's such a good boyfriend for me, so all of you don't need to worry about us. We're all okay here, and we'll be okay. Oh, don't say to Chichi that I kissed his cheek a few hours ago. Alright then, see you in the morning."

Anya sighed in relief as she hung up the phone, then laid back down onto the bed. She closed her eyes, trying to go back to sleep, but she couldn't. The conversation with Amanda was still vivid in her mind.

'Should I talk about it with the others now? But all of them are sleeping, and I don't want to disturb them,' she thought. 'Then what should I do now?'

She then stood up. "I guess I need to drink something."

'If I'm not mistaken, there are several bottles of mineral water in the kitchen that we keep just in case we want to come here, but I was too tired to offer them to the others when we just arrived here…'

Coincidentally, Damian was going to the toilet when she opened her room's door. They looked at each other for a few minutes.

"Oh, hi. I didn't expect you to wake up this early." He scratched his head which wasn't itchy. "Is there something wrong?"

Anya shook her head. "No. Mama called moments ago, and I couldn't go back to sleep after that. I want to get a bottle of mineral water in the kitchen."

"I see."

She walked towards the kitchen right when he entered the bathroom. "Should I get one for you as well, Jinan?"

"I'll be glad to, if you don't mind," replied him from the bathroom.

Anya checked the time on the wall clock before she took out two bottles of mineral water. 'It's 2 AM now.'

After both of them finished to do what they wanted, the couple sat down onto the chairs around the dining table, where Anya put their beverages onto.

"So, she wanted to check on us, didn't she?" asked Damian as he opened his bottle. "Then, when will we go back to the penthouse?"

"Well, she said that we would take breakfast here, but we still needed to wait for further information about going back there. They need enough time for the investigation anyway." She took a sip of her mineral water. "She also told me that… she called Uncle Marcus to confirm about his involvement, and…"

Anya took a glance at Prima for a moment, looked at the young woman who was smiling in her sleep, before she added, "Can we just talk about it in my room? I just feel uncomfortable talking about this around Prima, and also… Tertius."

"I see." Damian noticed that Tertius was also smiling in his sleep. "It seems like, they're having a sweet dream, and we shouldn't disturb them with something devastating."

Both of them then took their bottles, walked into the old bedroom and continued their conversation there.

.

"Then, let's go home to our kingdom in my school vacation - the end of term break," offered Tertius right after he talked about his shared dream with Prima. "Primus will be surprised to see you. Your face is just extremely similar with him. That's why I instantly realized that you're my older sister."

"It probably because we're twins." Prima smiled. "I'm still not sure about dad, but… our dream makes me realize that I miss you all so much… I want to go home with you."

"Alright then, I'll bring you to meet mom, Primus and Secundus," Tertius decided as he smiled back. "Then hopefully, dad will realize his mistake to give you away. If necessary, I also want to persuade him to consider you as his heiress."

"No, Teru, don't do that. I don't think that I'll be capable enough to become a proper heiress for him." Prima quickly shook her head. "Probably, I was born a few minutes before Primus, but he'll still be the most capable one. Dad wants him to be his heir, not me."

"But Prima…"

"Teru… Now, I don't care if dad doesn't make me his heiress. I just want to live happily with you and our family." Prima held both of Tertius's hands. "Talking about wishes. Praising each other. Harvesting sugar beets…"

"Hey, don't talk about it again." Tertius pouted, then both of them laughed softly, making sure that no one in the living room woke up because of their laughter, but then Tertius noticed about something different in the living room. Someone was missing…

"Wait, where's Damian?" Tertius pointed out. "He was sleeping on that couch before I fell asleep here."

"Well, he probably is in the bathroom right now." Prima shrugged. "Or maybe he wants to make sure that all of us will be safe here."

"Really? Now I suspect that he's doing something with our cousin, in her bedroom," replied Tertius as he glared at Anya's old bedroom's door.

"Eh? So, Anya is our cousin?" asked Prima in disbelief.

Tertius nodded. "Her biological mother is dad's older stepsister."

"Wow, what a coincidence. I really don't know about it at all."

"Anyway, we need to make sure that Damian isn't doing something stupid with her." Tertius stood up then walked to the door. "Let's we check it out."

"Teru, wait." Prima followed her youngest brother. "They probably just talk about something personal."

"But why should they talk about it in the bedroom, of all places?"

"Well… isn't it about us?" Prima guessed. "Moreover, I don't think Damian is such a naughty boy like that. We saw him refusing Anya's offer to sleep with her and her brother a few hours ago, right?"

"He refused it in front of us, but it's still possible for him to secretly accede to her offer. He just waited until all of us fell asleep before he entered that room and slept there."

"I don't think he's that sneaky though…" Prima frowned. "We both saw him falling asleep on the couch, right?"

"Nah. He was just pretending to fall asleep."

"Teru, that's impossible. According to his gestures before he fell asleep, he was clearly as tired as us. Maybe even more."

"I still can't believe that…"

"Teru, please. Even I can see that Damian won't ever let himself hurt anyone he loves, especially Anya," Prima assured. "I'm sure, they just have something important to talk about. We don't need to disturb them."

"I'm not disturbing them. I just want to make sure that Damian doesn't do anything else even after he's bored with anything they talk about." Tertius quickly reached for Anya's old bedroom's door and opened it, and there they were.

Both Damian and Anya were fast asleep, with Alfred who was also sleeping between them. Alfred's right hand was holding Anya's left hand, while his left hand was holding Damian's right hand. The couple laid on their sides as both of them faced Alfred.

"I guess I know what happened here." Prima smiled. "Anya asked Damian to talk about something personal, then suddenly Alfred woke up because of a nightmare and asked them to sleep with him."

"Oh, alright. Your knowledge of analyzing the situation makes sense, Prima." Tertius finally exhaled. "Well then, should we walk back to the living room and go back to sleep? We still have a few hours before the breakfast."

Prima nodded. "It'll be great if we dream about harvesting sugarcane next."

"Prima, don't tease me like that!" Tertius groaned as they finally walked back to the living room.

.

In the morning…

"Oh, my Jinan, please. I just can't sleep well if I don't see you sleeping next to me." Becky dramatically sighed, mimicked Anya.

"Eh? But I prefer to sleep on top of you." Ewen played along as if he was Damian.

"Alright, but you must be responsible for anything happens with us, okay?" The brunette innocently pointed at her boyfriend's chest.

"Are you referring to something which similar to what happen with a marriage couple?" Ewen frowned.

"Wait. We're already married, since forever, until forever." Becky grabbed Ewen's hands before both of them dramatically hugged each other. "We've been married since our first meeting in Covenia."

Anya just could frown on them while both Emile and Freddy snickered. Elma, Connie and Meg giggled.

"Blackbell, Ewen, can you both just stop teasing me and Anya like that?" Damian grumbled. "We just talked about the phone conversation between Anya and Auntie Amanda last night, but then Alfred woke up and asked me to sleep with him and Anya, so… I just want to fulfill Alfred's request, that's all."

When all of them woke up this morning and found out that Damian finally was sleeping with Anya and Alfred, there was a misunderstanding between them all as the others thought that the couple talked about something romantic before they slept together.

"Anyways, speaking about my conversation with Mama last night, now it's clear that Uncle Marcus isn't involved with the kidnapping attempt, at all, and… both his conversation with Strauss and the money which he transferred are…"

"It's just about me, right?" Prima cut what Anya said. "I see. That's why you both talked about it in your room."

"Well, we saw you and Tertius smiling when you both were sleeping, so… we just didn't want to disturb you both." Anya shrugged.

"But still, why did you both talk about it at 2 AM anyway?" Tertius frowned. "It was an hour before I and Prima woke up."

"It was just a coincidence." Damian exhaled. "I was going to the bathroom when Anya was going to the kitchen, then we talked. That's all. There's nothing special about the time."

"Specifically, I just couldn't go back to sleep right after Mama's call because I kept thinking about the confirmation. Then I just wondered if I should tell you all about it, only to find out that it was only Damian who was awake with me," Anya added. "Bond wasn't here with us anyway, so I didn't have idea if you and Prima would wake up an hour after me and Damian."

"Oh, alright then."

"By the way, Mama also said that they would have breakfast with us here today." Anya checked her yellow wristwatch. "I guess they'll arrive here soon."

All of them then talked about something else until the adults came there to take their breakfast with them.

Chapter 21: The Warm Breakfast, the Documents, and the Prediction

Summary:

Right after a cheerful breakfast in the old apartment unit, Andrew entrusts the document he saved from Strauss's facility which he blew up eleven years ago to Loid to give to the teenagers. As they find out the real comparison between 'the diplomats' and 'the soldiers' in Strauss's dangerous movement, Prima warns Anya about Strauss's next possible attempt.

"Waffles!" shouted Alfred cheerfully as he noticed the breakfast which his family brought into their old apartment unit for all of them.

"Here's your waffle, my boy." Loid served a portion of waffles to his son. "How's your sleep last night? Could you sleep well?"

"Well, I got a nightmare about the scary man, but then I asked big sis and big bro Jinan to sleep with me, so I could sleep soundly," Alfred innocently explained. "It was comfortable to sleep while holding their hands…"

"My, how sweet." Yor giggled. "They gave you courage, right?"

"That's right, mama." Alfred repeatedly nodded. "I also feel safe with them."

"Hold on for a second. I remember someone talked by phone about something different…" Loid turned to Anya. "Did you tell Amanda that Damian-kun refused your request to sleep with you and Alfred?"

"He did. He slept in the living room with the others, but then he woke up and went into the toilet just as I was leaving my room to get a drink," Anya confirmed. "I told Damian about my phone conversation with Mama, but… I just didn't feel comfortable enough to talk about Uncle Marcus's order for Strauss to keep Prima away from Septevia here, especially, when I saw Prima and Tertius sleeping peacefully in the living room, as if they had a same, sweet dream."

"We did, actually," Prima admitted. "I was ten years old in that dream, where I imagined what if dad didn't give me away to Strauss… What if I lived together with my whole family in the kingdom."

"Prima…"

"Anyway, we decided to talk about it in the bedroom, but just as I was about to return to the living room, Alfred suddenly woke up and cried," Damian continued the explanation. He cleared his throat. "That's when he asked me to sleep with them, so… I just wanted to make sure that Alfred won't have any more nightmares. That's all."

"So, it's really because of Alfred, huh?" Becky sighed. "And here I am hoping for your relationship to become more intimate…"

"Uh, Becky, are you sure that it's okay for you to say it in front of all of them? I mean, you know… Uncle Loid and Auntie Yor, Uncle Albert and Auntie Amanda, and also… Grandpa Siggy and Grandma Barb?" asked Connie as she adjusted her glasses, pointed at the six adults who were bringing them waffles and now talking about something else. "I don't think they'll fully agree with you."

"Well, all of them already know about the relationship between Anya-chan and Damian anyway…"

"Becky, I already told you that they support my relationship with Jinan in a healthy way, meaning that it'll be okay as long as we can maintain our attitude and not be influenced by lust." Anya glared at her best friend. "If they don't allow us to flirt boldly at school, then of course, they won't ever allow us to do anything you imagined us to do."

"Oh, alright then…" Becky finally gave up. "Honestly, I'm just hoping it so that I and Ewen can follow in your relationship footsteps."

"Then why don't you both just start it first?" Meg giggled. "You and Ewen were the ones who started dating first, after all."

"Oh yeah, we did start dating first like what you said." Becky nodded. "I guess I'll just wait until we have a good chance for that."

"But remember, Becky, don't break any school rules, or else, you could be expelled from school," Connie reminded her as she pushed her glasses up. "You too, Ewen."

"Noted! Thanks for the warning, Carmichael."

"Should we really talk about that in the middle of our breakfast?" Anya frowned. "Now, let's just eat our waffles and talk about something lighter, okay?"

"Oh, I think it's a good time for me to share our decision to you all." Tertius took a glance at Prima before he announced, "I'll bring Prima home to our kingdom in the school vacation, specifically, in the end of term break."

"Really? Are you both sure that Uncle Marcus will let Prima come to Septevia?" asked Anya worriedly. "He transferred so much money to Strauss so that he could bring Prima far away from his kingdom."

The pinkette paused before she turned to Prima. "Also, don't you want to think about it first?"

"Initially, but our dream settled our decision." Prima smiled softly. "I really want to meet my family. I miss them."

"I know it, and I surely know that all of them need to meet her as well. That's why I can decide it easily," added Tertius.

"Okay, bro, I think I can understand why you decided that." Freddy nodded before he smirked. "But shouldn't there be two people you bring there?"

"What do you mean with that, Freddy?" Tertius asked back. "Are you referring to Auntie Amanda? Or maybe… Anya?"

"Well, that's a reasonable guess, but that's not what I meant." The fang boy shook his head. "Don't you want to introduce your girlfriend to your family?"

"Oh? Ah, so you mean… it'll be better if I bring Meg there as well, right?"

"Just saying." Freddy shrugged. "I just can suggest it to you, as your best friend."

"I see." Tertius then turned to Meg and asked, "Do you want to go to Septevia with me and Prima, Meg?"

"Of course, Teru-kun, I'll be glad to," replied Meg sweetly. "Let's we go there in the school break."

.

"Here. Andrew asked me to give this document to you all, right when I checked the investigation process at the penthouse." Loid put a folder onto the coffee table in the living room, right after all of them finished their breakfast. "It contains the 'conquer the peace' movement initiated by Strauss, along with the explanations of the classification of his research subjects."

Freddy took the folder and examined the files. "Let me see the background of the movement… Here he wrote, 'I started this movement for my beloved adopted daughter, so that we can take revenge on her biological father who abandoned her to me. I want to prove to that bastard king that a smart person who was abandoned like his daughter and all of my research subjects will be more capable of realizing world peace and ruling it.'."

"So, he really initiated it because of Prima…" Tertius concluded. "Did he write about the criteria of his research subjects?"

"According to the explanation which he wrote after the background, most of his research subjects were special people, whose IQ were able to be increased by him through brain surgery, right after he stabilized their memories," Freddy explained. "Then he would teach them everything they needed to become some good diplomats, but if some of them were still not willing to study, then he would erase both their memories and emotions, train them to be the cold soldiers who could easily kill anyone in front of them."

"Hmm, I think by 'stabilized' the memories, he meant… maintaining the useful ones and erasing the useless ones…" Emile opined. "Then, if he successfully took Anya away from us, he would…"

"No way. There's no way I would let it happen." Damian gritted his teeth. "We need to stop him completely. Don't let him revive this movement."

"We'll stop him together," Anya assured. "With the help from the Intelligence Alliances, we'll completely stop his movement and capture him."

"You're right." Damian patted Anya's shoulder. "But first of all, we need to protect you from him."

"Jinan…"

"Well, the problem is that… we completely don't know about Strauss's next plan." Elma sighed, but then she turned to Prima. "Do you have idea about it?"

"I'm not really sure, though… he just shared a glimpse of his plan to me." Prima rested her chin on her hand, then she turned to Anya and warned, "What is certain is that he'll exploit your weakness, so that he can force you to surrender to him, Anya."

"I get it." Anya nodded. "I think… maybe he'll attack me on the new moon, or maybe he'll threaten me with taking my family hostage if I don't surrender to him, or the worst… he'll do both."

"However, we must make sure that we'll thwart that mad scientist's plan and capture him, so that we can stop his crazy movement once and for all." Damian clenched his fists. "That damn Strauss… I'll make sure that he'll rot in prison once we catch him later."

Everyone nodded, agreeing with what he said.

Chapter 22: The Final Strategy Duel: Anya Authen vs Simon Strauss

Summary:

Using Prima and Anya's predictions, the teenagers devise a brilliant strategy to confront Simon Strauss and end his evil plans once and for all.

"Then, I guess we need to make a strategy to face Strauss," said Meg to the others. "We have to make him feel like he has the upper hand, even though we already know very well about his next plan."

"Oh, Prima, do you still have access to Strauss's facility?" asked Tertius. "We can use it to sabotage his plan."

"Well, I'm not really sure if he won't ever block my access, but I guess I can manage to get it." Prima nodded. "I'll do my best to help you all."

"That's great." Connie smiled. "Now we just need to find out his plan. Will he really threaten Anya with taking, let's just say, Alfred hostage if she doesn't surrender to him? Or else, will he just pretend to capture Alfred and trap Anya to surrender?"

"Hold on, Connie-chan! It's really possible for Strauss to trap Anya just like what you say." Becky flicked her fingers. "Then, we need to know when the next new moon will occur."

"According to our wristwatches, the next new moon will occur in 23 days, two weeks after the midterm." said Freddy as he looked at his black wristwatch. "On Monday."

"Well, that's difficult. Not all of us can participate in implementing the strategies that we'll formulate." Tertius sighed.

"If so, we'll also determine the representatives from us who'll stay at the Authen's Penthouse that day." Becky nodded. "I'm in. As Anya-chan's best friend, I need to make sure that she'll be okay, and don't let her do a stupid decision."

"Becky, I would never do anything stupid," Anya protested. "You don't have to say that."

"I need to. I just don't want to see you sacrifice yourself and get caught in Strauss's trickery." Becky crossed her arms. "I don't want to lose my best friend just because of that crazy old man."

"Fine, if you insist." Anya exhaled. "What about the others?"

"I definitely will help." Damian raised his right hand. "Let's finish him off with a brilliant strategy."

"Well, I wanted to help, but I can't." Meg shook her head. "It'll be on my younger brother's birthday, anyway, so I need to be there with him."

"I'll have an additional course on that day, for the preparation of the Term Final, so I also pass," said Tertius in a regretful tone. "I need to work hard, so I can make my family proud."

"It looks like I can't come either. That Monday, my family had planned to have dinner with my father's coworkers." Ewen scratched his head.

"I see." Becky sighed. "Don't worry, Ewen. I'll keep you updated on the progress."

"Count me in!" Freddy shouted. "I'll join the mission!"

Emile, Elma and Connie then regretfully told the others that they also couldn't participate in their strategy.

"Alright, so I, Damian, Freddy and Prima will be the representative. We'll be the executors and protectors," Becky concluded. "Now, move on to the strategy itself."

"Big sis, will all of you capture the scary man?" asked Alfred curiously.

"We definitely will, Alfred." Anya nodded. "Right, Becky?"

"Of course. That's exactly what we want to do anyway."

And their conversation continued.

.

23 days later, on the new moon…

The city lights glittered below like frozen fireworks, silent and distant. Anya leaned over the railing of the Authen's Penthouse balcony, as her arms folded against the night breeze.

Just like their plan, Becky, Damian and Freddy were there, waiting for the signal they had agreed upon in a relaxed manner. Even so, for Anya herself, this wasn't the right time to relax.

It was the new moon, her power eclipse, and her mind was empty. She gripped the railing tighter.

A few hours ago, Loid took Alfred to his friend's house to spend the night, and not so long after their departure, Strauss sent a threatening message to her yellow wristwatch about Alfred being his hostage.

She murmured to herself, "If I can't read the truth, how do I know who to trust? How can I know if Strauss is really holding Alfred hostage or not?"

"You ask." A hush of fabric behind her. Barefoot steps. "How about the training which we took in these three weeks?"

Anya turned slightly to look at Prima, who stood a pace back behind her. The blonde-haired young woman dressed in an oversized sweater, shadows brushing her face. Her sapphire blue eyes were steady - quiet and unreadable, but not cold. She crossed to the railing slowly, with her relaxed but deliberate posture.

"No moon tonight," said Prima as she gazed up at the bare sky. "Just like our prediction, Strauss picked his timing well, and he took our bait."

Anya nodded, narrowed her emerald eyes. "He wants me doubting everything. Wants me to choose wrong."

"He always preferred manipulation over confrontation. He's not strong enough to win in a fight, so he makes you fight yourself."

Anya swallowed. "And somehow, it's working."

Prima paused, then sighed, pressed her fingers gently to the railing. "I used to think that control was the only way to be safe, that if you knew everything, you couldn't get hurt, but… the truth is, control isn't safety. It's just isolation in disguise."

Anya looked at her, something loosening in her chest. "You were like me… Prima."

"I am like you, Anya," Prima corrected as her sapphire blue eyes locked with her emeralds. "We're still working on being something else."

Anya exhaled. "Well then, should we move now?"

Prima nodded. "Let's do this."

Both of them then walked out from the penthouse and took different paths.

.

Anya entered the front door of Strauss's facility alone. The hallway stretched in sterile gray silence. Smooth walls. Glossy floor. Fluorescent lights that buzzed just out of sync, like a heartbeat she couldn't match.

Anya stepped carefully, each step echoed louder than the previous. Her yellow wristwatch pulsed with the last message she had received, that Alfred had been 'taken', the coordinates urgent, time sensitive.

It had felt real.

Strauss had even whispered in coded thoughts - deliberately accessible, like he wanted her to overhear. She couldn't read minds now, not with the new moon blanketing her gift in silence.

But something was wrong, and for once, she didn't need telepathy to know it.

She reached the threshold to the next corridor and paused, gaze skimming the surveillance lenses overhead. Her hand hovered over the comm dial on her wrist.

Then she hesitated.

Her breathing was steady. Too steady.

This was what Prima had warned her about a few days ago. "He'll use your fear. Twist it into reason."

Anya exhaled slowly and stepped inside. A voiced sliced through the air behind her.

"Keep going," Strauss said, the smugness laced in silk. "You're almost there, Anya Authen, and you've made the right choice."

She didn't answer. Just walked.

A few steps further and she spotted it, the machine. Pale and inhuman, hum faintly rising, restraints unfurled like teeth waiting for a sacrifice.

Something inside her went cold.

No sign of a hostage - No Alfred. No blood. No struggle.

And suddenly, everything clicked.

The data. The positioning. The unnatural calm. All of them were fake.

Her heart thudded, but her face remained impassive - thanks to the recent training given by Loid. She couldn't let Strauss see the truth in her emerald eyes.

'He doesn't know yet,' she thought. 'It means the training was successful, and it's a good thing.'

She moved forward slowly, palms damp. Then, just as she passed a console, she thumbed the underside of her yellow wristwatch. One hard press. The hidden alert, carefully designed by Franky and Freddy for tonight, pulsed once.

No sound. No glow. Just a signal.

In a safehouse, Sylvia saw it, then immediately contacted someone. Meanwhile, at the Authen's Penthouse, Damian received the same signal, then immediately went to somewhere with Becky and Freddy.

"Any thoughts before we proceed?" asked Strauss. His voice echoed across the chamber like a sermon.

Anya blinked slowly, then smiled. A tiny, calculated smile.

"Well, I'm just curious," she replied as she approached the machine. "Did Prima help you design this? Or was she just knowing about that false description that you mentioned in my house?"

Strauss's eyes narrowed.

"I was the only one who designed it, and she believed in it," he said coolly. "Until she didn't."

Anya leaned slightly against the armrest, tilted her head. "Then, you believed I'd walk in blind, didn't you?"

In the silence, there was a flicker in his eyes.

Anya straightened. "I'm sorry to say this, but you're dead wrong."

Then everything happened at once.

She pivoted hard, slammed her elbow into the console. Sparks burst. Alarms triggered. Steam hissed from the floor vents. Surveillance lenses snapped and twisted like blinking insects.

She dropped low, slipped behind a console, and darted toward the emergency release panel she'd spotted earlier.

Strauss shouted something, he moved his guards, but it was too late.

She knocked on the door override. The emergency lights flashed crimson.

And just before she slipped through the service corridor, she turned once, only once, then smiled and whispered, "No moon tonight, Simon Strauss, but I still saw you coming despite my power eclipse."

Then she vanished into the smoke.

"She knew," he muttered. The words felt foreign on his tongue. "She knew the entire time."

His gaze snapped to the main monitor. The chair was empty. The restraints hung loose like wilting arms.

One corridor sensor pinged. A blurry and fast figure moved beyond his line of sight.

Strauss inhaled sharply, not with fear or anger, but with precision, calculation, and the cold breath before a pivot.

He tapped his intercom. "Status report. Contain the east corridor. Reroute sector security. Don't let her reach-"

But no answer, silence then static.

He pressed again. "Respond."

Still nothing.

He turned toward the sealed observation glass, caught the briefest shimmer of movement before emergency shutters locked the view down. She was gone.

Strauss stepped away from the console, letting his hand drop slowly to his side.

All his confidence was taken away by a girl who refused to follow his script.

"Impressive," he murmured.

He straightened his coat. In his ear, a secondary alert chimed - encrypted data breach. Phase Two: compromised. Someone was already sneaking in and corrupting his next move.

"Prima… Of course, it's her. I didn't block her access anyway."

Strauss closed his eyes for one long breath, then smiled, but there was no warmth in it. His smile was just the curve of a man rehearsing what he'll say next.

"Let's raise the stakes."

"Oh? Did you think I wasn't watching?" A voice crackled through the speakers, but it wasn't Strauss's operatives. It wasn't even Prima.

It was Sylvia Sherwood.

Strauss entire body stiffened, but then he exhaled slowly, masked his annoyance with amusement. "Ah, so you've decided to interfere directly, Handler?"

Sylvia didn't answer immediately. Instead, a series of explosions rattled the lower levels of the facility.

Strauss stood sharply. His fingers curled over the desk.

"You're late to this fight," he muttered, adjusting his coat. "I've already accounted for-"

"You've accounted for nothing." Sylvia's tone didn't shift, just cold and calculated, like she was already certain of his downfall.

Strauss narrowed his eyes. "Be careful, Handler. You might overestimate yourself."

Sylvia ignored him, continued her words as if he wasn't worth listening to.

"The Intelligence Alliances have been monitoring your network for months," she continued. "Now that Prima has compromised your plan, we're finishing the job."

Strauss's expression remained unreadable, but his fingers hovered over his emergency protocols.

Sylvia's voice darkened.

"Your security is failing, your funding is compromised, and your researchers are already abandoning you."

Strauss's fingers hovered over his intercom, debating his next move, but Sylvia didn't wait for his decision.

Her voice crackled through the intercom one last time, sharp, final.

"You were dangerous when the Intelligence Alliances underestimated you." She paused. "That won't happen again."

Strauss exhaled slowly, his smirk faint but his eyes cold.

"So," he murmured, leaning back in his chair. "Is that your final warning, Handler?"

No response. Sylvia had already moved on.

Just in a short time, the Intelligence Alliances could take over the facility. Strauss's network was compromised, and his facility was collapsing. All of his last defense systems were disabled, forced him towards a permanent destruction.

Now, Strauss even had no resources left. No loyalists. No escape route.

Sylvia had crushed him completely.

And finally, the 'Conquer the Peace' movement was completely over.

Chapter 23: My Strong Girlfriend

Summary:

Right after he received the hidden alert signal from Anya, Damian immediately picks her up from Strauss's facility with Becky and Freddy.

Notes:

Just a short chapter.

Happy reading.

"Well, there's the signal," Damian muttered as he noticed that his upgraded purple wristwatch blinked faintly on the table. A yellow dot appeared on the wristwatch's screen. "Let's we go pick her up."

"But first of all, we need to trace the beacon, so we can find out her exact position." Freddy checked his upgraded black wristwatch. "Now, Anya's in Sector G of Strauss's facility."

"Great. Let's go." Damian, Becky and Freddy immediately walked out from the penthouse, brought everything they needed as Damian instructed, "Freddy, you're on comm redirection. Jam every incoming signal from Strauss's side to Anya's watch. Make it look like her beacon died."

"On it!" Freddy quickly pushed some buttons on his black wristwatch.

"Blackbell, give me a visual on Sector G's thermal grid. We find the weakest point and breach."

After tapped in her upgraded pink wristwatch, Becky shared the mentioned visual and muttered, "Got two utility corridors which Strauss never finished, and based on Anya's position, she's closest to-"

"Oh, that one," Damian cut in. "We'll go there, quiet and fast."

No more hesitation. Anya asked for their help, and they were going to walk her back out.

They moved wordlessly. Synchronized. Efficient.

The elevator doors slid shut behind them.

The rescue was already underway.

.

The corridor hissed as the auxiliary door slid open.

"Go! Do as planned!" Damian whispered as he slipped through the threshold first. His silhouette almost soundless against the metal floor. Behind him, Becky crouched low as she cradled the black box's live tracking readout. Freddy followed last as his disruptor kit hummed softly against his chest.

The old security grid flickered as Freddy patched through its blind spots.

"I've got a thirty-second gap in East Cam Four," the fang boy whispered. "Go left at the junction, two doors down. That should pin us within seventy meters of her signal."

"Good." Damian nodded.

They moved like water, hugging shadows. No words. Just sync.

Becky tapped her pink wristwatch. "Tracker's confirming she's stationary. No one else near her…"

"Yet," added Freddy.

They reached the first security door. Damian placed one gloved hand on the panel.

"Freddy."

"I've done it." Freddy slid the disruptor into place. A low whine built into a hum, then a click. The lock was disengaged.

The door opened with a gentle sigh.

As they slipped through, a sudden crush echoed from deeper within the facility - a burst of static, then alarms. The floor beneath them vibrated faintly.

"Anya-chan," Becky whispered.

Damian didn't hesitate. "She set it off herself."

They ran.

No more crouching. No quiet. Just controlled sprinting through the maze of steel and glass as red lights began to flash above them.

An automated voice echoed through the vents. "Security breach detected. Sector lockdown initiated."

"Her signal is moving again," Becky called. "We have to hurry, otherwise she won't wait for us."

"She shouldn't have to," Damian growled. "Not anymore."

They reached a service tunnel junction - two guards around the far corner, rifles drawn.

But Damian didn't stop.

He reached into his coat and hurled a flash round before the guards could fully aim. The hall exploded in white. Freddy charged forward, slammed one operative down, while Becky ducked past to press the next override panel.

Doors opened again. This time with smoke rolled out.

Freddy squinted. "That's hers."

There, at the far end of the corridor, silhouetted against the emergency lights and rising mist, Anya stood up.

Her uniform was singed. Hair wild. Shoulders squared.

She didn't flinch when she saw them, just lifted her left hand slowly, shown her yellow wristwatch around her left wrist.

"You took long enough," she said, voice hoarse.

"The most important thing is that our strategy is successful," said Damian breathlessly. "Well then, let's go out."

"Yeah, let's get out of here." Becky took a shaky breath.

Freddy pressed a button on his wristwatch. "Exit route's ready. Prima and Sylvia's team is jamming reinforcements from above."

Damian held Anya's gaze a beat longer.

"You saved yourself. How strong."

She almost smiled. "I didn't think I had to."

And for the first time, she didn't.

Chapter 24: The Aftermath

Summary:

The terror is over, and the teenagers just want to hang out peacefully.

"Ouch, my right elbow hurts!" Anya flinched as her left hand touched her injury which she got from slamming her own elbow into the Memory Erasure Machine's console several minutes ago. "I think I slammed it too hard."

"Wow, and you said it just a few minutes after I praised you, that you're strong." Damian clicked his tongue. "Also, why did you have to slam it like that?"

"I just want to show how cool I am, that I can destroy that machine by myself." Anya shrugged. "Is there something wrong?"

"You're hurting yourself, anyway." Damian exhaled. "What's the point of destroying the machine, if it only hurts you?"

"Well, I need to show Strauss that I'm not afraid of him."

Now they were back in the living room at the Authen's Penthouse, along with Becky and Freddy. Damian examined Anya's injury before walked away to grab the first aid kit.

As he walked back to the living room, Damian immediately treated the wound.

"You know what? You did show the old man that you're not afraid of him, but… you make me worry," said Damian as his hands kept moving. "I never want to see you hurt… or cry… or even both. I just want to see you smile."

"Jinan…"

"Honestly, I was afraid that our strategy would fail… that Strauss could force you into that machine, and then… and then, you wouldn't remember me and the others-"

"No, Jinan, don't you ever imagine that something like that will happen, because I won't ever let it happen," Anya cut what Damian said. "Moreover, we have to believe in ourselves. We have to believe that the strategy we have put together ourselves will work."

"I know it, but still… easier said than done."

"However, now we can prove that our strategy works, and that's what matters." Anya held Damian's hands as he finished treating her wound. "Strauss thought he had trapped me, but in fact, it was us who had trapped him."

"You're right." Damian finally smiled. "We did it."

Anya nodded. "We did."

"Alright, times up. Now, let's go to sleep in the bedroom before you both get intimate any further. We also have to remember that tomorrow is still Tuesday, so we still have to go to school." Becky dragged Anya to the pinkette's bedroom. "Can you both just respect me and Freddy who can't be with our respective partners today?"

"Becky…"

"She's right, bro, we need to go to sleep now." Freddy pushed Damian straight to the guest room - the same one where they slept with Tertius a while ago. "A boarding student like you should know that it's time to sleep, not to cuddle with your beautiful girlfriend, who's also my cousin, so let's go to sleep."

"Oi, Freddy…"

The couple could only turn to each other and whisper, "See you tomorrow."

.

At the Cecile Hall's Garden, in the morning tea session…

"So, was it work?" asked Emile to the four 'representatives'. "Did you succeed in executing our strategy last night?"

"Yup, we did it. Strauss took our bait and claimed that he kidnapped Alfred, who was actually delivered by Mr. Loid to Meg's house and arrived there safely." Becky nodded in satisfaction.

"Well, luckily, Alfred is my younger brother's classmate, so I can still help you guys, even if only indirectly." Meg giggled. "Mike was so happy that Alfred could stay in our house last night."

"Did Alfred trouble your family?" asked Anya worriedly.

"No, he didn't. We were so happy to see him in our house," Meg genuinely replied. "It's just that… I needed to remind him that our strategy was a secret mission, so he didn't blurt it out in front of my family."

"Even with Mike?"

Meg nodded. "He just wished Mike a happy birthday."

"Oh, alright then." Anya finally smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Then, what did you do next?" asked Emile. "Did you guys just come to Strauss's facility and pretend to surrender together?"

"No. Anya-chan and Prima took different paths to go to the facility, as Anya-chan entered it from the front door while Prima accessed the staff only door," Becky explained. "While Anya-chan pretended to surrender, Prima secretly took control of the facility. Then, while Anya-chan sent the hidden alert signal to us, Auntie Sylvia contacted Prima to help her, so they could confront Strauss easily once Anya-chan successfully broke his Memory Erasure Machine and escaped."

"Then, what did you do?"

"We picked Anya-chan up from the facility." Becky shrugged. "It wasn't that easy to pick her up from there, but somehow, we did it."

"However, she injured her own elbow, but fortunately, I could treat it." Damian took a glance at his girlfriend. "But anyway, everything went according to the plan."

"By the way, Connie, did you manage to give a surprise to your father who just came home from Bayan last night?" asked Freddy.

Connie nodded. "He was so happy to receive my surprise."

"Oh, Meg, are you ready to go to Septevia in the school break with Tertius and Prima?" asked Anya.

"Honestly, I don't know. You know that both of them are part of the royal family, so… I'm not really sure if their family can accept me there easily or not." Meg sighed. "I'm even confused thinking about what kind of clothes I should prepare to wear there."

"In that case, shouldn't you just prepare some formal dresses?" Emile raised an eyebrow. "As far as I know, all kingdoms in this world always prioritize formality over everything."

"Well, actually… we can't be really sure about that," Ewen responded. "It depends on the kingdom itself."

"Tertius, should Meg just prepare some formal dresses like what Emile said?" asked Elma. "Is the kingdom of Septevia really that strict?"

"Well…"

Just when Tertius tried to answer Elma's question, the bell rang.

"Anyway, guys, before we go to our own Homeroom Session, let me ask you something important." Becky exhaled. "Can we go shopping together this weekend? If necessary, we also can have another sleepover in my house."

"That sounds interesting. I want to go with you." Connie adjusted her glasses. "Now, it's time for us to be relax, anyway."

"Becks, that's such a good idea." Ewen proudly smiled to his girlfriend. "Let's we go hanging out together."

"I know you'll agree with my idea, Ewen." Becky smiled back.

The others also voiced their agreement with Becky's plan, before all of them tidied up the place and walked away.

.

Four days later…

The shuttle van eased to a stop in front of the sparkling glass facade of the shopping mall. The ten teenagers spilled out, their laughter echoed under the awning

"Alright, Becky, so you rented out the entire shopping mall only for us ten?" Meg blinked at the empty concourse gleaming beneath crystal chandeliers.

"Well, I used to rent this place anytime I came shopping together with Anya-chan here." Becky shrugged. "Now, the difference here is just the number of the participants. The party is getting bigger with you all."

"Whoa! This is great!" Freddy shouted. "Can we play bowling here? I used to play bowling with some of my friends here, on the second floor."

"Of course, we can." Becky nodded. "But it comes after shopping because that's my priority for today. I have a challenge for all of us."

Becky then explained her challenge, that each of them had to buy a set of casual clothes within a set price limit. The winner was determined by whoever looked the most attractive after changing their clothes.

"The price limit is seven thousand dalcs." Becky crossed her arms. "The winner will have right to decide what we'll do next."

Freddy groaned theatrically, falling in beside Ewen and Emile as the group funneled into a boutique. "So, I need to win in this shopping showoff challenge from you… only to play bowling."

"Your choice." Becky shrugged. "Oh, and you can exchange suggestions with your partner, so I guess, you just need to ask suggestion from Connie-chan there."

Inside, warm lighting reflected off mirrors and silk. Each teen wandered off instinctively. Some of them trailed fingers along fabric, while the others dived straight for racks.

"Should I find something ridiculous or something comfortable to wear?" Ewen whispered to Becky.

"The most important thing is that we have to find clothes that are comfortable to wear and pleasing to the eye, which can make people who see them interested in our appearance," she replied. "Don't worry. I know we can win from the others easily, so let me help you choose your outfit."

Meanwhile, Emile shown a sunflower pattern dress to Elma. He grinned. "Do you want to wear this outfit for me?"

"Wow, I love sunflowers." Elma giggled. "Let me try to wear this one before I suggest an outfit for you."

In another corner of the boutique, Damian lingered beside Anya, glanced sidelong at her as she held a pink sundress up to herself in the mirror.

"It suits you," he said quietly, then flushed.

Anya turned. "Jinan, you're just saying that because it's pink, like my hair."

"Not only that. I say it because I mean it," he added, voice barely above the music piping through the speakers. "You look so beautiful in that dress."

"Well, thanks for your compliment." Anya smiled softly before she looked at a navy jacket nearby. "Oh, I think this jacket will look good on you."

"Really?" Damian's hazel eyes widened. Anya nodded.

A few stores and several shopping bags later, they regrouped, and now all of them dressed in their freshly bought casual outfits.

The ten teens gathered in the boutique's lounge, which now turned into a makeshift runway with full-length mirrors and warm track lighting. Becky clapped her hands, eyes gleaming.

"Alright, time to strut your stuff!"

Elma and Emile walked first. The transferred student from Westalis twirled in her sunflower dress, earned a soft gasped from Emile who dramatically held his chest. Emile himself dressed in a retro-patterned shirt.

"Wow, the sun's out right here, and it's blinding," Emile muttered. Elma blushed as the group laughed, tension easing.

Becky and Ewen followed. While Becky's crisp, chic monochrome blazer set gave off CEO vibes, Ewen was wearing earth-toned athleisure with a surprising flair. The blonde-haired boy did a mock runway strut that ended with a wink at Becky. She rolled her eyes but smiled proudly.

Freddy and Connie walked out next. Freddy's tee sported bold comic art while Connie's pale blue outfit framed her like a painting. He murmured, "You look like a serene day."

Connie blinked, touched by his rare seriousness.

Meg and Tertius emerged quietly. Meg's floral dress was demure and flowing, while Tertius was in a simple high-collar shirt with regal accents. As his best friend, Freddy couldn't help but whispered, "He looks like royalty on laundry day."

Tertius could feel that there was admiration in Freddy's tease, so he ignored him. Meanwhile, Meg caught the prince looking at her longer than usual.

Then finally, Anya and Damian stepped forward. Anya's pink sundress flowed like it was made for her, caught the ambient light, while Damian's navy jacket fitted clean over a pale-gray tee and dark trousers. He tugged awkwardly at the sleeves as he walked beside her.

In that moment, the room stilled for a second longer than with the others.

Becky murmured, "Oh my God, they look like models on a magazine cover."

As Ewen was the only one who could hear his girlfriend's voice, he nodded. "I hate to say this, but you're right."

Anya glanced up at Damian. "Jinan, you're not nervous, are you?"

Damian softly replied while holding out his hand, "I'm trying not to mess this up."

She took his hand and kept walking.

After a brief huddle filled with whispered debates and mock lobbying, Becky announced, "Alright then, the winner of the challenge is… Anya-chan and Damian!"

"Well, I should admit that they didn't just dress well, because they also matched each other's energy, and that's hard to buy," added Becky with mock sternness. She then turned to Anya and Damian, asked, "So, what will we do next?"

Damian opened his mouth to suggest something, but Anya beat him to it. "How about… karaoke?"

"Oh, that's a good suggestion." Becky nodded in agreement.

"But I also have a challenge for us here," Anya continued. "Everyone has to sing something they'd never usually pick."

Damian groaned. "Ouch, that's evil… coming from you."

"And still, you love me for it," she quipped.

.

All of them then walked towards the karaoke lounge on the second floor. It was a plush, neon-lit private room where velvet seats curved around a central screen. The mic glowed like an invitation to chaos.

Ewen sang first, kicked things off with a power ballad, as he clearly tried to impress Becky by belting every note off-key but dramatically. Not to be outdone, Becky rapped flawlessly through a complicated verse, made the room erupted.

Unexpectedly, Elma chose a rock anthem and nailed it, made Emile jaw dropped as he whispered, "She is my hero."

Things got personal when Freddy challenged Connie to a duet, and the song was a cheesy love song from a childhood cartoon. The glasses girl tried to stay composed, but Freddy slipped in a wink mid-verse. Her voice wavered just slightly, then steadied stronger.

Tertius, who usually was so reserved, sang a haunting traditional Septevian tune in his native dialect, silenced the room. Meg watched him with awe, realized that this was a piece of him he rarely shown everyone. Afterward, Meg sang something silly on purpose, as she just wanted to balance the mood. The couple then exchanged a quiet smile.

Apparently, they decided to let the winner of the previous challenge to be the one who sang last. Anya picked a ridiculously upbeat pop song with chaotic high notes. She missed three, landed two, and danced through them all, made Damian cornered by expectation. He then chose a low-tempo romantic number. His voice cracked once, but he didn't back down.

When the final chorus hit, he looked at his girlfriend rather than the screen as he sang the last part of the lyrics. "So, I'll stand by you… through the fall and the flame…"

And Anya just softly said, "You already did."

After much shouting, polling, and careful consideration, they chose some winners based on the categories. Elma got the most surprising performance while Tertius got the most emotional. Ewen hammed it up further when they announced him as the funniest one.

Then of course, Damian was voted as the overall winner for his sheer audacity and heart.

"Well then, can I decide what we'll do next? I'm the overall winner, anyway." asked Damian.

"Of course, Jinan. That's why I made the challenge." Anya smiled. "Then, what will we have next?"

"Hmm, now I'm curious about Freddy's skills in bowling…" Damian nodded.

"Oh, Damian, you're my savior." Freddy thanked him. "Okay, let's go to the bowling alley!"

.

The ten teens spilled into the private bowling lounge - low lights humming warm orange, neon stripes glowing along the lanes like quiet invitations. The click of rented shoes, the faint scuff of sliding soles, and the muffled roll of a test ball set the tone: casual, competitive, and charged with something lighter than the stakes they'd been used to.

"Two lanes, each lane for five people," Freddy declared as he clapped his hands. "Let's make it interesting."

They then drew lots to divide their teams. Freddy was on lane A with Anya, Ewen, Elma and Meg, while Damian was on lane B with Becky, Connie, Emile and Tertius.

"It'll be fair for us if none of us are on the same team as our respective partners," Freddy reasoned. "We can play objectively."

"Alright, I agree with you." Damian nodded. "Let's do this."

On lane A, Anya got her turn first. She started with flair as her ball was wobbling uncertainly down the lane… before knocking over three pins. It wasn't really good, but she threw her arms up anyway. "I won in spirit!"

In his turn, Freddy pumped a fist. "Spoken like a champion!"

He stepped up to the lane nonchalantly, joked about winning by sheer luck as he spun his ball, and then he did it.

It was a perfect strike. All of the pins were clattered like a thunderous applause.

"Wow, Freddy, that's amazing!" Ewen's eyes widened. "It's just too smooth."

"I told you that I'm used to bowling. That's why I want to invite you guys to play together." Freddy shrugged. "I want to show you my hidden talent."

On the other lane, Damian stepped forward with quiet concentration. His first ball knocked down seven pins. He turned around as he put his hands in his pockets like it didn't matter, but then he caught Anya's proud grin on him and gave her a tiny wink.

Meanwhile, Tertius bowled with eerie calm. A slow push, a smooth roll, and a strike. The group paused.

"Okay," said Emile, "note to self: never underestimate the polite ones."

All of them kept playing until the last frame.

"Alright," Freddy grinned. "The winner of the last frame will get the right to choose dessert."

Everyone dialed in, but Freddy still became the winner.

"Wow, that's not fair. We didn't know you're this good," Anya whispered as she glared at her cousin.

"Now all of you know it." Freddy smiled. "Then, let's go eating gelato!"

"Not before we take our lunch, Freddy. It's a dessert, after all," Becky corrected.

"Whatever. We'll eat it anyway."

Chapter 25: The Forgotten Princesses

Summary:

After Marcus confirmed that he just wanted Strauss to bring Prima away, as far as he could, Amanda asked him to let Prima come home to Septevia. Surprisingly, the conversation between the two half-siblings warmed up, as Amanda talked about the Authens and Marcus promised to tell his wife about Prima.

"Old Sis? It's been a long time since we last met. Why did you call me?"

"Marcus, do you know about Simon Strauss?"

"He's… wait, how do you know about him?"

"You gave your only daughter to him, right?" asked Amanda coldly. "Then, you recently asked him to kidnap my daughter, right?"

"What do you mean with that?" Marcus asked back. "Well, I did… give my daughter to him, but… I didn't even know you were married."

"…"

"You see… There are still many of my people here who regret our grandfather's stupid decision to order our father to divorce your mother, Anneliese Caldwell, and for those six months, while Prima was still here, they considered her birth as karma that we got for having driven you out of here, so my late mother, the chosen former empress Camelia Cooper-Habsburg…"

"Did she ask you to give your daughter away to that old scientist?"

"Well, I didn't want to do that, but my mother said that my daughter would only be an obstacle to my reign, so I had to get rid of her…"

"Marcus…"

"Strauss was an acquaintance of my mother, and she knew about him developing a human experimentation project, so she asked me to give her to him, so he could use her as his subject." Marcus sighed. "But of course, I'm not that cruel. I did give my daughter to him, but I asked him to adopt her. I asked him to protect her."

"Then, why did you say to him that he should help you eliminate an obstacle?"

"How do you know-"

"Your youngest son is my daughter's classmate, and he told us about your phone conversation with Strauss," Amanda explained. "He also told us that you forbade him from looking for me. Can you explain it?"

"About Tertius, I just don't want him to bother you, just because you're his aunt. I don't want to disturb your life anymore, and… about my conversation with Strauss… I was just afraid if someone could hear it, so I said that things to him. Honestly, that's just my code for him to ask him to bring her away from my kingdom," Marcus genuinely said. "I tried to forget her, but… I can't. The King of Briticia visited my kingdom a week ago, and he couldn't stop talking about his oldest daughter, his heiress… that was when I realized that I shouldn't follow our grandfather's and my mother's old-fashioned understanding that the successor to the kingdom should be male."

"Then, will you accept your daughter back to Septevia?" asked Amanda. "Strauss used her to help him kidnap my daughter, but then she realized her mistake and helped my daughter escape, along with your son and some of their friends."

"I really didn't know that he intended to kidnap your daughter, but… I'm glad to know that my children helped you protect your daughter from him." Marcus sighed in relief. "And of course, I'll definitely accept Prima here. I'll tell my wife, Elena, that our beloved daughter is still alive. I'll tell Primus that his twin sister is still alive. I'll tell Secundus that his older sister is still alive…"

"Marcus, you have to calm down." Amanda giggled. "You're always so excited, whenever something exciting happens in your life."

"You still remember about it, huh?"

"Of course, I still remember about you." Amanda exhaled. "I'm sorry for accusing you of ordering Strauss to kidnap my daughter, because this is not the first time, he has done that."

"So, he has kidnapped your daughter before."

Amanda nodded, even though she knew that her stepbrother couldn't see her from the phone. "He kidnapped her and put me in a coma thirteen years ago, leaving me unconscious for seven years until a miracle finally came, bringing me back to my senses and reuniting me with my little daughter."

"I see…" Marcus paused. "I only knew that you and Auntie Anneliese moved to Covenia and lived there. I didn't know that you eventually moved to Berlint and met my children there."

"Well, it's a long story. I met my husband in Covenia, a few years after my mother's death. We got married and had a daughter…"

"Is her hair pink like yours and Auntie Anneliese's?" asked Marcus curiously. "However, it's a unique trait that only the Caldwell family possesses."

"To told you the truth, I dyed my hair strawberry blonde right after my mother died, but I don't think it did anything to my daughter's hair. It's still pink," Amanda admitted. "Her eyes are also green like mine and my mother."

"I know it." Marcus chuckled. "Then, what happened next? How could Strauss kidnap her and put you in a coma? Then, what miracle that brought you back to your senses and reunited you with your daughter?"

"When I was in a coma, my husband decided to move to Berlint and admitted me to a hospital there, and coincidentally, one of the doctors there who was also my parents-in-law's neighbor adopted my daughter, Anya, and enrolled her to Eden College, your son's school." Amanda smiled. "I regained my consciousness not so long after they brought her to see me in the hospital, then we gradually lived together here."

"It was a great miracle," Marcus genuinely commented. "Can you and your family come here someday? Or maybe, would you like to accompany my children home here? My mother has died anyway, and honestly… I miss you so much, old sis."

"Well, I'll think about it. I guess Tertius will ask Prima to go there soon." Amanda then remembered something before she added, "You also need to meet Tertius's girlfriend. She's a sweet girl."

"So, my Tertius has a girlfriend now…" Marcus sighed. "He was indeed superior to his older brothers in that regard."

"Oh, come on, Marcus. Don't both Primus and Secundus have girlfriends yet?"

They kept talking about an hour before Amanda finally called Anya and told her the truth about Strauss.

.

"So, he just did it because of my grandmother…"

"That's right, Prima." Amanda nodded. "He regrets letting you go so much, and now, he wants to see you so badly. He even wants my family to come there with you, Tertius and Meg."

"I'm grateful to hear that," said Prima with teary eyes. "Dad loves me… He loves me…"

"I perfectly know that he can't lie about that." Amanda giggled.

"So, will you go there with me, Tertius and Meg?" Prima asked.

"Of course, I will." Amanda nodded. "I'll come there with my family."

Chapter 26: The Royal Surprise

Summary:

On the last day of the term final, Elena Habsburg surprisingly visits the Authen's Penthouse, as she's missing Prima so much. Unexpectedly, the Queen Consort invites Amanda to return to live in their palace in Septevia. She even asks her to take over the kingdom. What decision will Amanda make? Will she take over the kingdom and become the Queen? Then, how about Anya?

A few weeks later…

"Auntie Amanda, please let me help you all to prepare the dinner," pleaded Prima. "I've been living here with you all since then, but I still don't help you much. I-"

"You don't need to help us, Prima. Just relax," Amanda assured. "I know that you're much older than Tertius, Anya and their friends, but you're my niece. I know you worked hard when you were with Strauss, so just think of it as taking a break here."

"Huh, luckily I'm not busy today, so I can help you guys prepare dinner." Albert smiled, then turned to the young woman in the dining room. "Prima, we just want to pamper you, as our niece. Not to mention that you're a princess."

"But you don't have to spoil me like that. I'm not a spoiled princess." Prima exhaled. "I'm used to cooking, so you don't have to worry. I can help you all."

That afternoon, the four parents in the Authens were preparing dinner in the kitchen, as there would be another sleepover in their penthouse. Meanwhile, the two oldest members of the Authens, Sigmund and Barbara, were reading in their personal library on the next floor.

"Big sis Prima, can you just help me do my homework instead?" Alfred approached her with his exercise book. "You don't have to worry about the dinner. Papa is a good cook, so he can help Mama, Auntie Amanda and Uncle Albert to prepare the delicious dinner for us."

"Is that enough, Alfred? I mean, you know that my younger brother and your older sister will have another sleepover with their friends here today, so we need to prepare enough dinner for all of them," asked Prima worriedly. "Not to mention about the Caldwell's Legendary Carrot Cake."

"Oh, come on, Prima. The cake's recipe isn't that legendary." Amanda waved her hands. "My mother told me that our ancestors in the Caldwell family developed the carrot cake recipe because almost everyone in the Caldwell family didn't like carrots…"

"Including our daughter, Anya." Loid chuckled. "But still, I have to admit that your family's carrot cake recipe is very good. Honestly, I've tried making carrot cake for Anya before, when I was still carrying out Operation Strix, with a recipe that I found in one of my previous missions - not your family's recipe, but she always refused. That time, I couldn't make it as delicious as the one we always make here, with the Caldwell's recipe."

"I don't think the recipe you found is too different with mine. Both of them are the Carrot Cake recipes anyway," Amanda genuinely commented. "But yeah, that's the Caldwell family, the green eyed pinkettes who mostly hate carrots."

"Oh, that's ridiculous." Prima was stunned. "How about your hair?"

"I dyed it strawberry blonde permanently like this after my mother died and reapplied it whenever I realized that the color started fading." Amanda smiled. "Surprisingly, while I was in a coma, my hair color only faded slightly."

"Ah, I remember seeing a few strands of your natural pink hair when we visited you in the hospital, Amanda." Yor nodded. "But when you attended my wedding reception, it was back to the fully dyed strawberry blonde."

"I reapplied it right when I and Albert arrived at our mansion, a day before your wedding reception with Loid, so yeah." Amanda shrugged. "Anyway, Prima, now you just need to help Alfred there, okay? We'll be fine here."

"Well, alright then." Prima finally gave up and turned to Alfred. "What part of your homework do you not understand?"

As Alfred started to ask Prima about his homework, the four parents continued preparing their dinner, but a few minutes later, someone contacted Albert and requested permission to use the helipad on the rooftop.

.

Meanwhile, outside the apartment building…

"What a tiring Term Final…" Anya exhaled as she kept walking towards the main door with the others. "I'm not even sure if I'll get a Stella Star this time…"

"Anya, you've been an Imperial Scholar since more than seven years ago, so it's not important to you anymore," Tertius complained. "I still need to get two more Stella Stars."

"I guess I can understand about what you feel, Tertius." Damian nodded. "Just like Demetrius who became an Imperial Scholar in earlier grades than me, both of your older brothers were also-"

"That's why I need to get both of them in this term." Tertius sighed, cut what Damian said. "I want mom and dad to be proud of me."

Just then, a helicopter flew above them, then landed on a helipad on the rooftop of the Authen's Penthouse.

"Is that Mr. Albert?" asked Becky. "He sometimes comes home from work by helicopter, right?"

"But Papa told me this morning that he was off work today." Anya frowned. "Do we have guests from far away?"

"No, wait. That helicopter seems familiar to me…" Tertius tried to remember, but then he realized something. "Wait. That's the one mom used to ride every time she went outside Septevia, which means…"

"Your mother comes here," continued Meg. "She wants to meet your older sister, Prima."

"I don't think so. I called her a week ago. I told her that we'll go there right after the end of term gala, but why she suddenly comes here?" Tertius shook his head, then ran into the apartment building. "Anyway, I need to hear her explanation now."

The nine other high schoolers followed the third prince of Septevia as they were discussing about the reason of the sudden visit.

"Is it because she wants to talk about something important to Auntie Amanda?" Damian guessed. "Something like… a reconciliation between sister-in-laws, perhaps?"

"Let us think. A Queen Consort suddenly visits her older sister-in-law…" Freddy paused. "If she wants to talk about the kingdom, then maybe…"

"Does she want to ask Mama to take over the kingdom? I mean, she probably notices Uncle Marcus's guilt about Prima, then connects it with what happened to Grandma Anneliese and Camelia, then she decides to… offer the kingdom to Mama…" Anya unsurely said. "However, Uncle Marcus told Mama that some people still regret that my and Tertius's great-grandfather preferred Tertius's grandmother, Camelia Cooper, as his daughter-in-law over my grandmother, Anneliese Caldwell."

"Anya-chan, your conclusion is… not because of your hidden desire to live in a castle, right?" Becky glanced at her best friend. "I think in this case, you shouldn't be subjective in concluding what's happening now."

"Becky, that's just my childhood dream." Anya sighed. "Now, if my suspicions prove correct and you ask me if I want to be the princess of Septevia, I'll answer that I don't."

"Eh? But why?" asked Ewen.

"Because… it's just too much. I mean, I know that they just want to fix the mistake that our great-grandfather did, but that doesn't mean that by doing so, Mama will be able to become a Queen," Anya reasoned. "I don't want to belittle Mama, and perhaps Grandpa also taught her a little about the duties of a royal leader, but somehow, I feel that I'll lose something valuable if I let Mama become a Queen."

All of them paused as they walked into the elevator.

"Well, I don't think it'll be that bad though…" Elma thought for a moment before added, "Oh, the Authens can move to the castle-"

"Then, what will happen to the penthouse?" Anya cut what she said. "We already talked about Papa's reason to sell the family's mansion, right? Grandpa Siggy doesn't need to live in a big house, let alone in a castle."

"Oh, you're right." Elma exhaled. "They also will uncover about the Authens… about your unique agreement about having four parents and one non-biological brother."

"It's no doubt that some people will judge us just because of that, or maybe even worse, they'll force me to choose my biological parents over my adoptive ones, and I don't want that to happen. I want to live with all of them; with Mama Amanda, with Papa Albert, with Chichi Loid, and of course, with Haha Yor."

"Then what should we do now?" asked Emile.

"I guess we just need to give our opinions to them. Moreover, it's Auntie Amanda who has right to decide something serious like this, right?" Connie adjusted her glasses.

"Alright then, let's do this," commanded Anya as all of them walked out, approached the main door of the penthouse.

.

As they opened the main door, they saw the Queen Consort of Septevia, Elena Habsburg, who now was hugging her missing daughter so tightly as she said, "Oh, Prima… I miss you so much, and I know you're still alive. I never believed those heartless people who said you were dead. I really hate your heartless grandmother… She was the worst mother-in-law for me, and also, the worst grandmother for you, honey."

"Mom, I miss you too," replied Prima with tears in her sapphire blue eyes. "I always wondered if you thought about me often, and now I know the answer. You love me…"

"Of course. After all, I was the one who carried and gave birth to you, darling. There's no way I could hate you. You're my most beautiful daughter. My only princess."

"I only have a twin brother and two younger brothers anyway." Prima giggled.

"I know." The Royal Guest released her hug, intending to say that her daughter really looked like her twin brother, but then she noticed a necklace around her daughter's neck. She looked at the pendant before she confirmed, "Your baby ring… You keep it."

Prima nodded, "Somehow, Strauss made it into a pendant and gave it to me."

"I see."

Suddenly, Tertius cleared his throat. "Mom, why are you here now? You did know about my plan to come home with old sis soon, in the school break, right?"

"Oh, Teru. Apparently, you're home from school, huh?" Elena turned to her youngest son and his friends. "How's your Term Final? Are you tired?"

"Mom, answer my question, please? You already know that the Term Finals are always exhausting." Tertius tiredly sighed. "Anyway, I don't think that it's necessary for you to pick me and old sis up here."

"Well, one of my reasons is that I want to meet your sister as soon as possible. I also come here to make sure that you have some wonderful moments with your friends, but the most important reason is… I want to talk with your aunt." She shifted her attention from her youngest son to the pinkette. "You must be Amanda's daughter, right? Marcus told me that he asked Strauss to take care of Prima, but he didn't know that apparently, Strauss have ever kidnapped you when you were little."

"Yes, I am, Auntie Elena. It's such a pleasure to meet you." Anya bowed. "I don't want to be rude, but… can I know about the things that you want to talk about with my mother?"

"Uh, I just think that it's better for your family to move to the castle, if you all don't mind," Elena slowly replied. "I also want to… give the kingdom to your mother, sweetie."

"Elena…" Amanda paused before she cleared her throat. "Anyway, should we take our dinner in the dining room now? Elena, do you want to take dinner with us? I'll respond your offer in our dinner."

"Alright then, I'll take dinner with all of you."

.

A few minutes later, all people in the penthouse gathered in the large dining room. The long dining table glowed under soft lamplight, warmth spilling from steaming plates and clinking glasses. The air smelled of rosemary chicken, sauteed vegetables, and the faint spice of nutmeg - woven into a towering carrot cake at the center.

Elena sat between Prima and Amanda, regal but hesitant, her jeweled bracelet glinting every time she reached for water.

"Still, I'm really surprised to see you here, Elena." Amanda smiled. "Not to mention about the helicopter."

"I just want to talk about my offer to you as soon as possible." Elena shrugged. "I really want to know your answer."

"Mom, that's such a serious offer," said Prima. "Auntie Amanda will need time to considerate it."

"Now I know what decision to take to answer your offer, Elena." Amanda nodded. "Prima, don't worry. It's clearly obvious that it'll be my decision."

"But you haven't told us all about your answer here."

"I'll do it soon," Amanda certainly said, "but for now, let's just enjoy the dinner."

Meanwhile, Sigmund and Barbara talked about the books they read in their private library, and the ten teenagers talked about their Term Final with Albert, Loid and Yor.

"Big bro Tertius, is it really important for you to become an Imperial Scholar like big sis?" asked Alfred.

"It's extremely important, Alfred." Tertius nodded. "I want my parents to be proud of me."

"But you don't need to force yourself, Teru," Elena assured. "I won't be too disappointed in you just because you haven't become an Imperial Scholar yet."

"What about Primus and Secundus?"

"They're just too serious. Both of them are older than you, but they don't even have a girlfriend yet." Elena sighed but then realized something. "Oh yeah, speaking about your girlfriend, is she here now?"

"Uh, mom… she's here now, beside me." Tertius gestured to his girlfriend. "Her name is Meg Montrose."

"It's an honor for me to meet you, Your Majesty." Meg bowed. "I'm Meg Montrose, Tertius's girlfriend."

"Oh, what a sweet girl. Nice to meet you too, sweetie." Elena smiled. "Well, you don't need to be that formal with me. Just call me with my name."

"I'm just afraid it'll be a problem someday, because you're a Queen." Meg frowned. "I know that… your son is my boyfriend, but… I just want to do everything properly."

"Alright then, suit yourself." the Queen finally gave up. "I really hope that you can be my daughter-in-law someday."

Both Tertius and Meg blushed. The prince nervously replied, "Mom, don't talk about marriage now."

"I'm just saying about what I see, and I see you two are a perfect match."

All of them kept chatting easily as they enjoyed the dinner. Some of the teenagers joked, making the others laugh. Their laughter braided into the soft hum of familial routine.

"I must say, this home feels unlike any I've known," Elena admitted gently as she sliced her grilled eggplant. "No guards at the door, no protocol. Just warmth."

Amanda poured herself a glass of water as she replied, "That's why this is my home, where I can spend my time peacefully with my family."

"I see that." Elena nodded. "Even so, now I wonder… What if this warmth could extend to Septevia itself? If you chose to return, to guide and lead us."

The table softened. Conversations paused.

Amanda noticed that most of them already finished the main course, so she reached for the carrot cake, took a slow slice, and set it gently on Elena's plate. She said, "Alright, time for the desert. You know, this carrot cake recipe was handed down through generations of people who mostly hated carrots. Every bite is a contradiction, but still, it shows up in every gathering of the family. It's not because the recipe is perfect, even though the cake is genuinely delicious, but because it's representing us."

Elena tilted her head as her sister-in-law continued, "This is my decision, Elena. I didn't choose the palace. I chose this recipe. I choose it every time I bake it for everyone here - it's their favorite anyway." Amanda giggled. "I choose our memories, and I choose here."

Elena stared at the cake as she lowered her shoulders. "So… you won't come back."

Amanda smiled, kindly. "I might visit and spend my vacation in Septevia, but I won't come to live there again."

From across the table, Anya reached for the cake and served herself a big portion of it, as usual. "I guess now I know why I surprisingly like this cake, even though I hate the main ingredient. I like this cake because it tastes like home."

"You know what? Now I couldn't help but remember about our dinner here three years ago, when Alfred was still a baby." Damian chuckled as he sliced the cake for himself. "He ate his cake messily."

"Eh? Did I?" asked Alfred. Damian nodded.

"Oh, the sacred dinner!" Becky flicked her fingers. "That's the first time we tried the cake."

"The sacred dinner? What is that?" Tertius frowned. "Why did you say it was sacred?"

"Becky said it because it was the first time when Alfred did something to make Anya and Damian became nearer, or so she thought." Freddy smirked as he shrugged. "It was my first visit here, and also, the moment when I told the Authens about you looking for your aunt whose maiden name was Caldwell."

"Freddy's right, Tertius. It's when he told me that you were looking for me." Amanda exhaled. "That's also when I told Anya, Becky, Damian, Ewen, Emile and Freddy to keep it as a secret from you."

"I see." Tertius nodded.

Elena looked around as the others took their turn to serve the cake for themselves, then turned to her portion and took a bite. Her eyes softened as she whispered, "Then… I suppose home is not always where we think it is."

Chapter 27: Their Seventh Stella and the First High School Gala

Summary:

Tertius isn't really happy to find out that he just gets one Stella Star from the Term Final, so the others are determined to cheer him up with something challenging: hunting dresses and suits for their first high school end of term gala.

A few days later, in the classroom where the eleventh graders of Cecile Hall had their homeroom session…

"Alright, today is the time. We'll find out the result of the Term Final." Becky exhaled. "I don't really care about getting Stella though, but at least, I hope my performance is still good in the overall ranking."

"Honestly, I just need one more Stella Star to be an Imperial Scholar, but I wouldn't mind if I didn't get my last Stella Star from this Term Final," Connie admitted. "Besides, the exam questions are quite numerous and difficult, so the competition will probably be tougher than usual."

"I know, right? Even in Classical Language, the difficulty level becomes much higher than usual." Anya nodded. "After all, we're in high school now, right? It's only natural that our Term Final becomes that difficult."

"Now you can say that, Anya, but I don't think your Classical Language's ranking will drop drastically even if the exam questions become more difficult." Damian glanced at her. "If anything, now I wonder if it would be my second time to not get any Stella Star this term."

"Says Mr. Quadruple Imperial Scholar* here," Anya retorted. "There won't ever be the second time for that one, Jinan, because everything is going well for you. Your ranking in History will be fine and you'll get your… what now? 33rd one?"

"Can you both just stop arguing and kiss passionately instead?" Becky glared at the couple. "What's with your way of flirting each other?"

"Becky, I'm not flirting!" Anya shook her head. "I just want to talk about the exam questions…"

"But it sounds like you underestimate yourself, Anya. That's why I responded you." Damian exhaled. "You should just talk about the exam questions in general. It isn't necessary for you to specify any subjects."

"Anyways, should we walk out from here now? Usually at this time, we start checking the exam scores on the information boards." Ewen pointed at his maroon wristwatch's screen. "Now, who's in charge of checking the boards?"

"If I'm not mistaken, it's George who walked out from the class a few minutes ago." Emile tried to remember. "He said that he would check the information boards."

"Huh, he's irresponsible." Becky sighed. "What's he doing now? Why isn't he back yet?"

"Then, should we walk out now?" Damian offered.

"Oh, George is on the way here." Anya caught George's thoughts. "We just need to get ready."

"I really wonder about Teru-kun," said Meg worriedly. "Will he get his last two Stella Stars in this term?"

"Hopefully, but we can't be sure. I don't think there's anyone of us who had ever got two Stella Stars at the same time anyway." Ewen shrugged. "Why don't you just think about your own Stella Stars, Montrose? Now you also have six of them, right?"

"Well, it's not really that important for me to become an Imperial Scholar." Meg shook her head. "But for Teru-kun, it's really important. He needs to show his good performance at school, not only to his family, but also to his people in Septevia."

"Guys!" George panted as he stopped running in front of the class. "The results… for the Term Final… were finally posted!"

"Alright, that's the sign. Let's check it out!" said Elma as she started walking.

The eight teens wasted no time to run towards the information board.

"Everyone, look! I'm 60th in the overall ranking!" Anya exclaimed. "I didn't expect this. Maybe I finally did something right."

"I know, right? You don't need to underestimate yourself." Damian nodded. "As for me… Well, it's okay. I'm 8th in this term."

"But that's a little bit lower than the previous term. Is it okay?" Anya genuinely asked.

"Nah, it's fine, really. It's tight at the top, anyway." Damian shrugged. "Eighth is fine. At least I already worked hard to get it."

"Oh, I'm 20th!" Becky smiled. The others then also checked their overall ranks and shared it.

"Alright then, now we'll disperse, as usual." Damian started to walk towards the result of History Exam. "Don't forget to look for Freddy and Tertius, so we can share our results with them."

The others then dispersed, checked their rankings in each of the subjects, started from their strongest one.

When Damian was going to check whether if he still kept his position as the highest score in History or not, he found Tertius in front of the board.

"Oh, Tertius. I'm glad to see you here. Have you seen the overall ranking?" asked Damian.

"I'm fifteenth," Tertius said lightly with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Are you still clinging to the top ten?"

Damian nodded. "I'm 8th though, but that's okay."

Both of them then checked their rankings together, and they were surprised.

"Congratulations, Tertius! You overtook me in History." Damian tapped Tertius's shoulder. "You got the highest score! You surely got a Stella Star this time."

"You too, Damian. You're the second highest," replied Tertius. "Then, I… need to check the other subjects. I hope… I can get at least one more Stella Star from one of them, so I… can be an Imperial Scholar."

"I see. Go ahead."

Tertius nodded, then walked away from there, but he didn't check the other boards. Apparently, he lied to Damian, as History was the last subject which he checked, and unfortunately, he couldn't get more than one Stella Star in this term, as his other rankings in the other subjects were just around top ten.

"I can't believe this…" the prince muttered. "I'm the highest in History, but just can be the eighth in Language Studies, fourth in Science, fifth in Foreign Language, sixth in Classical Language, and tenth in Math…"

"One short," he murmured. "That's always how it goes, isn't it?"

"Teru-kun, are you okay?" asked Meg worriedly. "You already did your best…"

"Oh, Meg. I see your Foreign Language's score, and… you're the second highest behind Emile." He forced a smile. "Each of us only got a Stella Star this term."

"Teru-kun, don't give up. We're still in our first year of high school…"

"But from now on, we just can have chances to get Stella Stars from the Term Finals, because they don't give it in the midterm anymore, to further tighten the competition." Tertius exhaled. "I can't be like my brothers."

"Teru-kun…"

"I think I need to be alone for now. Don't tell anyone else that… I want to calm down in the courtyard, okay?"

"Teru-kun, wait…" Meg tried to stop him from leaving, but failed. She sighed, didn't notice that Anya, Becky, Connie and Elma approached her from behind.

"Congratulations, Meg!" Anya cheerfully exclaimed. "You're the only one of us girls who got a Stella Star in this term."

"Eh? Really? I didn't notice… ehehe…" replied Meg nervously.

"Hey, what's wrong with you, Meg?" asked Becky. "Why do you look unhappy?"

"Well, it's about Teru-kun. He… seems disappointed because… he just got one Stella Star in this term."

"Then, where's he now?" Connie adjusted her glasses. "Does he hide in the courtyard?"

Meg slowly nodded. "He just wants to be alone now."

"Montrose," called Damian as he approached the girls with Ewen, Emile and Freddy. "I guess I need to talk with him."

"Eh, Damian-kun? But he…"

"He told you not to tell us about him calming down in the courtyard, right?" Damian guessed. "Don't worry. I just want to talk to him alone. All of you just need to wait for us here, okay?"

"But…"

"Don't worry, Meg. Just leave it to Damian," Anya assured, then turned to her boyfriend. "You understand, right? About what you have to say to him."

"I know it, perfectly." Damian nodded, then walked to the courtyard.

Tertius sat alone on a bench, looked down onto the ground. Damian quietly joined him.

"Why? Are you disappointed with your Term Final result?" Damian started the conversation. "It's been a long time since I got my first Stella Star, when I was the second highest in History, and speaking about the second highest, that was the only time I got such a rank before this term."

"I just want it to become faster." Tertius faintly smiled. "I want to show my parents that I'm as smart as my brothers."

"You know, you're not the only one who's ever felt that way." Damian exhaled. "Before my father was arrested, I used to think being an Imperial Scholar would make him notice me, but… apparently, it didn't change much. I did become the first one in our year, but he still… didn't notice me."

"But you did it, Damian. Now, you even already earned so many Stella Stars." Tertius glanced at Damian. "Anya even said that you're… a Quadruple Imperial Scholar, while I'm just… the third prince who couldn't live up to his brothers."

"Hey, don't you see the Term Final result just now? You're also the guy who beat me in History in this term. I just became the second highest in History twice, and one of them happened just now, because of you." Damian raised his eyebrows. "Not only that. You're also the one who made Montrose smile like she hadn't in weeks, and it's something."

"…"

"About my Stella Stars, those are nothing compared to my brother's. When I got one, he got more. When I didn't get any, he still got more. Well… it actually less than usual, but still… he could manage to get more than one. I was embarrassed and afraid that my mother would be disappointed, but Anya assured me that she wouldn't, and she was right." Damian smiled as he remembered the moment that happened more than six years ago. "That time, I initially wanted to spend my school break at the dorm, but after I heard what Anya said, I called my mother. I told her that I didn't get any Stella Stars in that term, a few days after the announcement, but she told me that she wasn't disappointed. She even asked me to go home, so in the end, I spent the school break with my mother and Demetrius."

Tertius was silent for a moment, then said, "I keep wondering if I'm enough. Not just for Septevia, but also, for myself."

"Then stop chasing their shadows. Start building your own. You don't need to be your brothers. You just need to be you, Tertius Habsburg. Don't you remember that even… your mother said that she wouldn't be too disappointed in you?"

"And… what about you?" asked Tertius. "Have you figured out who you are without your Stella Stars and Imperial Scholar's cloak?"

"Honestly, I'm still working on it, but… one thing for sure, he's someone who finally learned how to care, even if he's bad at showing it."

Tertius finally laughed, softly. "You're not that bad. I told Meg to let me alone here, but you insisted to come here looking for me, didn't you?"

"Yeah." Damian nodded. "And next time, when you're sulking alone like this, I'll drag you back to the others myself."

"Hey, I'm not sulking. I'm just calming down," Tertius protested. "But alright then, I allow you to drag me to the others. That's our deal."

Damian smirked. "Deal."

Both of the boys then returned to the others. Tertius apologized to Meg that he made her worry about him, but then Becky interrupted. "Do you think it's that easy to apologize to your girlfriend for making her worry? No, Tertius. We need to punish you."

"Alright then, I'll accept your punishment." Tertius sighed. "What is it?"

"Well, I've heard that you usually buy your suits for the end of term gala at Velour Boutique, so… I want you to buy dresses and suits for us to wear to the end of term gala."

"Eh?!" His sapphire blue eyes widened. "Well, I'm a prince, but it doesn't mean that my father often sends me lots of money to spend on extravagance."

Damian glared at Becky. "Blackbell… I know you mean well, but don't overdo it. We can still buy our own dresses and suits. You just want us to be able to buy them together, right?"

"Oh, yeah. Actually, that's what I mean." Becky cleared her throat. "Still, Tertius, I want you to bring us to Velour Boutique, so all of us can buy our own dresses and suits. Can you accept this punishment?"

"Don't worry, I can." Tertius genuinely smiled. "When will we buy it?"

.

Several days after the announcement…

Velour Boutique shimmered with soft lighting and velvet-trimmed mirrors, a perfect blend of elegance and nostalgia. Tertius, Meg, Anya, Damian, Becky, Ewen, Emile, Elma, Freddy and Connie poured into the space like a burst of youthful energy.

"Well, feel free to choose. I can't buy dresses and suits for you all, but I can ask the boutique's owner to give us discount."

"I don't think it'll be necessary for me to get a discount, but whatever. At least you can be a good host, Tertius." Becky shrugged, then quickly scanned for high-end statement pieces. She clasped a crimson dress to her chest as she said, "Okay, no one leaves until we all look spectacular. Gala rules."

Tertius wandered toward the tailored section with unreadable expression. Meg hovered nearby, brushed her fingers gently against a silky blue sleeve. After she chose her dress, she approached Tertius to help him choosing his suit.

Damian stood at the edge of a display of tuxedos, thought deeply before smiled quietly. "This classic black seems good," he said as he held up the refined cut that would make him look effortlessly distinguished.

Across the boutique, Anya paused at a midnight blue gown. Its subtle shimmer echoed distant starlight - realized the dreams, kept the promises. She fingered the hem quietly, then turned to her best friend. "Becky, is this too much for me?"

Becky gasped. "Oh, midnight blue? That's practically an open invitation to kiss passionately in silk."

"Eh? Do you think so?" The pinkette's cheeks blushed.

Becky nodded. "It'll look good on you."

Freddy and Connie shared a changing room laugh, emerged in complementary hues - sunset gold for Freddy and sage green for Connie.

"These are great." Connie winked. "We're going for soft defiance."

Ewen and Emile playfully argued over cufflink choices, while Elma found a plum wrap dress that made her eyes glow like dusk. When Becky called Ewen to ask him about her chosen dress - the crimson dress, Emile lingered at a rack of monochrome suits but then chose navy instead as he looked at Damian's chosen tuxedo.

Becky then offered help to choose Ewen's suit. The blonde-haired boy then pointed at some of the options he had.

"Uh, Ewen, I guess you play it safe like it's a strategy," Becky commented. "But why?"

"Because every risk I've taken made someone look away." Ewen shrugged. "I don't want you to look away from me. You know that there'll always be all of them who ask you to dance with… in the end of term gala."

"Don't be silly, Ewen. Ever since we started dating, I only dance with you in the end of term gala, and it won't ever change."

"Then, which one is the most suitable for me?" asked Ewen.

"Hmm, let me see…" Becky examined all of the options before took one of it - a muted navy jacket. "This one will be the best."

As each of them tried on their final selections, the boutique buzzed with teasing glances and whispered affirmations. Anya stepped into view wearing her chosen gown, made Damian froze for a moment.

"Wow, you look like-" he started but then stopped as he flustered.

Anya caught that Damian continued his words in his thoughts, so she grinned. "Jinan, you need to continue what you said with your mouth, not your brain."

"Oh? Alright then…" Damian cleared his throat. "You look like… something you'd see just before making a wish."

"A shooting star?"

"Well, something like that. I think you'll stand out if you wear this."

"Thanks for your compliment." Anya smiled. "You also need to try your tuxedo."

"Oh yeah. I'll change clothes here." Damian pointed at a changing room before he walked in there.

As Damian walked into the changing room, Tertius stepped out wearing an emerald suit. He looked at his reflection on the mirror before he murmured, "I guess emerald still suits me best."

"It does, Teru-kun," Meg whispered as she heard what her boyfriend said.

"Well, you choose it for me after all." Tertius shrugged. "Thanks."

After all of them were satisfied with their choices, they changed back into their casual clothes before paid their dresses and suits.

Outside Velour Boutique, the late afternoon light kissed the pavement with golden warmth. Shopping bags crinkled gently as the group exited, laughter still hanging in the air like silk threads.

Becky, ever the coordinator, checked her planner. "Okay, the end of term gala is on Sunday, so that gives us three days to finalize accessories and finish homework - we're not showing up looking brilliant and academically bankrupt."

Anya nodded, her fingers still curled around the velvet ribbon tied around her dress bag. "Honestly, it doesn't feel real. Like… what if this is the night that changes everything?"

Damian walked beside her, jacket slung over one shoulder. "It's just a regular school event, and you know that," he muttered. "Unless you want it to be more than that."

She didn't answer, but the midnight blue of her dress rustled, faint and affirming.

.

Sunday…

All of the girls were wearing their chosen dresses, and each of their boyfriend interacted with them in different way.

Damian shared his thoughts to Anya, that she was so beautiful and it made him love her more. When they were dancing, he even asked her to share a passionate kiss, and they did it.**

Tertius and Meg talked about their seventh Stella Stars, then about their possibilities to become the Imperial Scholars. Meg kept reminding Tertius not to force himself to study too hard, and he gratefully obeyed it. Finally, they talked about their preparation to go to Septevia tomorrow.

Freddy complimented Connie, that she looked like someone he hoped would notice him, and it successfully made the glasses girl blushed.

Emile explained further about the end of term gala to Elma, as it was her first time attending it since she moved to Ostania. He then carefully guided Elma to dance together with him.

Ewen told Becky that she was his fire, and he was her water. They kissed passionately before danced together.

However, tonight was such an important moment for all of them.

Notes:

*: Yup, this is a throwback from the prequel, 'Authenticating the Forgers', where Anya called Damian as Mr. Double Imperial Scholar sometimes. In this one, of course he already got more than those he got in the prequel, so I expand the count, and it reach the Quadruple here.

**: This one is connected with another fanfiction in this series, 'The Journey of Their Relationship', and I wrote the dancing + kissing scene there, in chapter 4, so just check it out.

Chapter 28: Trip a Trap

Summary:

Another important name was found in both Strauss's research document and financial transaction report. It turns out that the person commanded Strauss to kidnap Anya thirteen years ago, and she's one of them who hate the Caldwell family so much.

"Then, our trip is a trap for her."

A few months ago…

An old letter was found inside Strauss's document, and it wasn't just a regular letter. It was from a woman who despised the Caldwell so much, who just wanted to erase the trace of the family's existence, so people won't ever find the successors anymore.

She clearly wrote a name in the letter. The last successor. Anya's real full name.

Annastasia Caldwell-Authen

Freddy found the folded letter inside the document, then Amanda took it from him. Later, she unfolded and read it in her room. Of course, she knew about the person who wrote it, and she noticed her own daughter's name written in the letter. She absolutely knew about the sender of the letter, and that's why, she was angry after she read the whole letter.

'So, it's you, huh?' thought Amanda as she saw the sender's signature and held the letter tightly. 'You're the one who destroyed my family's happiness…'

'Then, I'll make sure that you'll be captured someday, along with Simon Strauss.'

.

On the day when they trapped Strauss…

Sylvia was checking the printed intelligence report regarding Strauss's financial transaction when she found it, a massive transfer thirteen years ago from a Septevian bank account to Simon Strauss's personal bank account. She waved to Prima, beckoned her to come and check the report as well.

"Any idea about this name? Have Strauss ever mentioned it?" asked Sylvia as she pointed at the Septevian name in front of her. "Do your brother or your aunt know about this woman?"

"Well, I don't know about the name. Strauss never mention about her as well." Prima shook her head. "But I guess my aunt knows about her. I'll ask her later."

A few hours later, Prima asked Amanda about the person, and she was right. Her aunt knew pretty well about that damn name, because it was the same person who sent that letter to Strauss, the command to kidnap Anya.

Amanda immediately shown the letter to Prima.

"Now it's clear," Amanda concluded. "I'll contact Sylvia. We need to capture this person as soon as possible."

"Eh? But why?" asked Prima in confusion. "She's just an old woman."

"But she's a Cooper, the one who doesn't want to let someone like us to be happy, Prima." Amanda narrowed her eyes. "Just like her older sister, your grandmother."

"Then, what should we do now?"

"Well, we'll trap her in our trip," Amanda calmly concluded. "This heartless old woman…"

"Alright then." Prima exhaled. "It's up to you, Auntie."

.

A few minutes before Elena went home to Septevia, Amanda asked her about someone.

"Oh, Marcus's aunt?" Elena recognized the name. "She likes travelling a lot. If I'm not mistaken, she was traveling to Covenia a few times around fifteen years ago."

"Hmm, so she had been observing us since around the moment I gave birth…" Amanda murmured.

"Then, what's wrong about her? Did she do something bad to you?"

"Not me, but my daughter. She realized about her existence and asked someone to kidnap her two years after her trip. Can you help me trap her in my trip?"

"I see. I can help you."

.

"Wait, what?" asked Anya in disbelief. "So, we'll trap someone in our trip?!"

Amanda nodded. "We'll trap someone who asked Strauss to kidnap you."

"Eh? I mean, as far as we know, Strauss kidnapped me because he was angry at Grandpa Siggy, right?" Anya then remembered something before she continued, "Well, we did suspect Uncle Marcus, but then we found out that he's not involved, right? But how could someone unfamiliar for me ask Strauss to kidnap me?"

"Is it really just because she's my grandmother's younger sister?" Prima sighed. "But how can the Coopers hate the Caldwell so much?"

"Based on the letter she wrote, they don't want to let any of the successors of the Caldwell to take over Septevia, so they think it was better if they could fully erase the Caldwell." Amanda gave the letter to Anya, let her daughter knew the truth. "Coincidentally, Grandpa Siggy disagreed with Strauss's movement, and it made both Strauss and this woman to be in the same position against us. That's why Strauss agreed to kidnap you thirteen years ago."

"I see, but what's the plan for the trap? We can't just capture this old lady that easily, right?"

In the morning of their departure day to Septevia, Amanda explained her intention to Anya in their breakfast.

"We'll trap her at the dinner tonight, at the palace. Marcus and Elena will invite her there, then we'll appear before her one by one, before the Intelligence Alliances' officers come to capture her." Amanda paused, then added, "I just want her to know the damage she caused by ordering Strauss to kidnap you, so she can realize her mistake."

"Will we tell Tertius and Meg about this? We'll pick them up so all of us can go to the airport together, right?"

Amanda nodded. "We'll tell them, of course, so all of us can set the trap perfectly."

"Alright then." Anya exhaled, before she shifted the topic as she said, "By the way, Mama, you never told me before that Anna actually was the shorter form of Annastasia."

"Then, do you want to change your mind and change your name back?" asked Amanda.

"I don't know, but 'Annastasia' sounds pretty." Anya giggled. "Even so, I guess Anya Authen is enough for me."

"I see." Amanda smiled. "Then, let's finish our breakfast quickly before we go picking Tertius up from the dorm and picking Meg up from her house."

"Okay!"

.

At night, in Septevia Palace…

"Auntie Claudia, I'm glad to see you here," greeted Marcus. "I hope you don't mind about my sudden invitation."

"Why should I mind, Marc? I'm so grateful that you still remember me." The old woman named Claudia Cooper waved her hand. "You know, some of your people are still salty towards the Cooper because of your grandfather."

"Don't mind that. You're my guest here, Auntie." Marcus smiled. "By the way, my third son is on the way here from Berlint, Ostania. I actually wanted to wait for him before we take our dinner, but he persuaded me to start the dinner on time, so… let's we go to the dining room."

The King then accompanied his aunt to the dining room, where his wife, Elena, and older sons, Primus and Secundus, waited for them. All of them greeted each other before Elena said, "Well, I know this dinner is supposed to be private, but could I invite some other people to join us here? Coincidentally, one of Teru's classmates is the daughter of one of my pen pals."

"Mom, what a good timing!" Primus retorted. "My old friend said his girlfriend looks exactly like me, so I invite them to prove what he said. Can I?"

"Of course you can, my boy, even though I prefer to see your girlfriend instead." Elena exhaled. "Even your youngest brother Teru will come here with his girlfriend today."

"Because I'm not into dating, mom." Primus shrugged. "If there's a beautiful princess comes here, I'll just propose her to marry me."

Just then, a servant entered the dining room, walked to Elena and whispered something to her before she nodded, and he walked out.

"Oh, Teru is coming with his girlfriend, but surprisingly…" She turned to her oldest son before added, "They arrive with your friend's girlfriend, but your friend isn't there."

"I know it. My old friend is a jerk who just likes to leave a lady alone, but I'm grateful that at least my brother accompanies the pretty lady." Primus shook his head, then stood up. "Then, I'll pick them up, so the pretty lady won't walk alone here. Can I?"

"Of course you can, Primus."

The young man then walked out from the dining room before he returned with three other people - Tertius, Meg, and Prima.

"Oh, there you are." Elena shifted her attention to the door as they walked in. The Queen Consort then clicked her tongue before she said, "Primus, that's not your friend's girlfriend. It's your twin sister, Prima. Teru found her in Berlint."

"Prima…" Claudia's eyes widened as she looked at the young woman. "You… find her…"

"You told me, mom. You told me that you met her a few days ago. She's not dead, and she looks exactly like me." Primus hugged his twin sister as Tertius led Meg to their seats. "Welcome home, sis. I miss you so much."

"I miss you too, Primus…" replied Prima. "I'm glad to see you. Mom and Teru said that I looked exactly like you, but I couldn't trust them before I see it myself, so I'm here now."

"We both look the same. Both of them are right." Primus broke his hug to see his sister's face. "See? We're twins, after all."

"I guess you're right." Prima giggled. "It feels like looking at a mirror when I see you here, except for the hair and chest."

Primus chuckled. "Well, of course my hair is shorter than yours, let alone about your breasts…"

"Marcus, can you explain what happen here?" Claudia narrowed her eyes and glared at her nephew, didn't care about Secundus who joined the 'reunion' with his sister. "Didn't you ask Strauss…"

"I love my wife and my daughter more than my mother, Auntie, so that's that." Marcus turned to Prima and spoke, "Welcome back home, my prettiest princess."

"I'm home, dad." Prima smiled. "Can I really join in this dinner?"

"Well, of course, my princess, you…"

"Are you kidding me?!" Claudia shouted. "Marcus, don't you remember with your promise to your mother that you won't ever let your daughter-"

"Oh, so it's true that my mother-in-law commanded her own son to throw my daughter away from here, isn't it?" Elena cut what Claudia said. "So, she asked you all to persuade me that my daughter was dead. Why? Is it because of what happened with Marcus's older stepsister?"

"Elena…"

"Ah, I haven't told you about my pen pal and her daughter's name, have I?" Elena smirked. "It's okay though, because they're already here."

Right after she said that the door opened again, let Amanda stepped into the room beside Anya. They didn't speak, only walked to their seats and sat down there, along with the twins. The candles flickered like memories refusing to dim. The long dining table carried more than plates. It also carried lineage, wounds, and waiting truths.

Claudia nervously glanced at Amanda, who sat down beside her daughter. "Amanda, you're… here."

"We all are." The dyed-haired woman placed a folded napkin beside the old woman, then confidently spoke, "I hope you still remember about what you did thirteen years ago."

Anya, who now sat down across from the old woman, calmly took Claudia's letter out from her purse, unfolded and placed it beside her plate.

Amanda's fingers grazed Anya's yellow wristwatch, not to comfort her, but to tether their presence.

Marcus cleared his throat, then spoke with quiet finality. "It's time our family stopped pretending history was polite."

Prima, now seated between her mother and her twin brother, watched the exchange like a witness at a reckoning. Her sapphire blue eyes glanced at them steadily.

"Auntie…" Marcus continued, "As you can see here, I invited my older sister and my niece as well, because I heard from them that you asked Strauss to… kidnap my niece, with that letter in front of you."

Claudia's voice cracked as she replied, "I just want to protect our legacy, Marcus. I need to make sure that… the Caldwell won't disturb us again."

"We won't disturb you." Amanda met her eyes, unflinching. "You asked Simon Strauss to kidnap my daughter when I tried to live a normal life with my family, the Authens. Damn you, Claudia. We just want to have a normal life without living in the palace or whatever, and I don't care about becoming an heiress or something like that, so you don't need to do that much."

"But that name-"

"It's just for the birth certificate." Amanda exhaled. "I won't ever use it to bring my daughter here and threaten you all to make her a princess."

"Even if Mama gave me a choice to reclaim it or to leave it, I'll choose to live a normal life, as Anya Authen," Anya finally said as she folded the letter and gently pushed it aside. "I don't need to live here to reach my happiness. I'm happy with my grandparents and my parents in Berlint, and that's enough for me."

A hush settled. It wasn't an empty silence but a recognition.

Amanda leaned back as the candlelight danced across her features. "I didn't come here to confront you, Claudia, but to let my daughter to see that memory isn't a weapon, but It's a right."

Outside the dining room, several footsteps echoed as the Intelligence Alliances' officers approached the dining room. No one rushed. No one needed to.

Claudia was led away without resistance, along with her letter as the evidence.

Chapter 29: The Royal Imperial Scholar and the Friendship Wristbands

Summary:

One and a half years later, Tertius finally becomes an Imperial Scholar. His Royal Family come to Eden College to congratulate him and celebrate his 'victory'. When they celebrated the achievement at the Authen's Penthouse, the gang exchanged their wristwatches with the brand new, customized rubber wristbands as the symbol of their friendship.

One and a half years later, at the conference hall in Eden College…

Today, Tertius finally would get his Imperial Scholar's cloak, after surprisingly becoming the top scorer in Classical Language - and successfully got a death glare from Anya on the announcement day. That was why, this term's award ceremony would be the best award ceremony for him, not only because he would get his cloak together with Meg, who also got her eighth Stella Star in this term by becoming the second one in Foreign Language, but also because his whole family was invited to the ceremony. All of them would see the moment when the principal gave him his Imperial Scholar's cloak and put it on him.

It was three minutes before the beginning of the award ceremony when all of them arrived at the conference hall. Prima walked first as she lifted her chin. She was wearing a pristine dark blazer, the baby ring necklace at her neck catching the morning light. She didn't look nervous even though she wasn't an alumnus of Eden College. She looked anchored.

Behind her, Secundus strode beside his mother, Elena, ever diplomatic. As Tertius invited the whole gang to enjoy their vacation in Septevia last term, Primus offered a crisp nod toward Meg, Anya, Damian, Becky, Ewen, Emile, Elma, Freddy and Connie across the aisle. At the end came Marcus, who wasn't flanked by advisors and veiled behind protocol as the King of Septevia. Today, he was just a father, in a suit simple enough to whisper what words still couldn't carry.

Usually, in the award ceremony, all students would sit according to their respective halls, but whenever any of them became Imperial Scholars, the seat arrangement would be slightly different, as the 'senior' Imperial Scholars would sit near the stage, and the new ones would join with them right after they got their new cloaks. Today was no exception, and that was why, Freddy could be seated near Anya, Damian, Becky, Ewen and Emile, while Tertius was seated with his hallmates at the Specter Hall and Meg was seated with Connie, Elma, and all of their other hallmates from the Cecile Hall.

Tertius caught sight of his family from the edge of the stage, where faculty whispered the names who got the Stella Stars and became Imperial Scholars in this term. His grip tightened on the speech folded in his pocket, but it wasn't out of nerves. It was out of the sheer weight of wholeness. For the first time in his life, every seat for him had been filled.

"Now, the top-scoring twelve-year students from Specter Hall. One of them successfully collects eight Stella Stars and becomes an Imperial Scholar in this term…" Tertius prepared himself as his name was finally called, "Tertius Habsburg… Highest scorer in Classical Language."

The applause instantly rose, but he didn't look to the crowd first. Instead, he looked to the third row, center aisle where his family proudly looked at him, before he turned to his girlfriend and best friends at their respective seats. It boosted his confidence as he took the steps two at a time.

Once the principal put his cloak on him, he walked to an empty seat beside Freddy and sat down there, joined with some of his best friends who already became Imperial Scholars before him.

"I'm glad that you're finally here now." Freddy tapped his shoulder. "Welcome to the elite, bro."

"Thanks, bro." Tertius smiled, then turned to 'the Cecile Hall Imperial Scholar's Quintet'. "I'm also glad that finally, I can join with you all here…"

"By surpassing my ranking in Classical Language, I see." Anya glared at him, but then she smiled and added, "Don't worry. I'm okay about that."

"I see…"

"But in return, you need to come to my house after the ceremony with us. We'll celebrate it together," the pinkette continued what she said as she smirked. "Also, I personally prepare a special challenge for you there, so get ready."

"Oh? Uh… okay," the prince nervously replied. "I guess my family also want to come there anyway."

"Well, speaking about your family, I think you're so lucky to have a family like them," Damian genuinely commented. "All of them are here when you got your cloak."

"Uh, I…"

"It's okay. Don't mind me." Damian waved his hand. "Anyways, you did it now. You finally join with us here. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Just then, all of them shifted their attention back to the stage, where the principal put the Imperial Scholar's cloak on Meg, who then joined with them at their seats.

"Alright then, so now the quintet isn't really a quintet anymore…" Becky exhaled. "Honestly, I'm glad to see you join with us here, Meg, but… as the Imperial Scholars from Cecile Hall in our year are… six now, so…"

"So, we're the Cecile Hall Imperial Scholar's Sextet now," Meg continued what Becky said before she realized something and giggled. "I see. The pronunciation is a little bit uncomfortable there."

"I'm glad you know and understand it." Becky nodded. "We have to pronounce it correctly, otherwise people around us will misunderstand. Specifically, don't cut it in the middle, or else they'll think all of us are pervert."

"I know."

"By the way, are you both ready for the end of term gala next weekend?" asked Ewen to both Tertius and Meg. "As the new Imperial Scholars, you both need to wear the special crown and tiara…"*

"Oh yeah, that tradition!" Anya nodded. "I still remember how that tiara made me feel like a princess."

"Me too. It was such a great experience." Becky smiled. "It was different with the tiara which Papa bought for me in my childhood."

"Wait, I guess it'll be great for you both now," Emile opined. "I mean, you both are dating. Tertius will wear the crown, and Montrose will wear the tiara, in the same end of term gala."

"Wow, that's great. One more reason to envy you both." Damian sighed. "It'll be like a fairy tale for you then."

"Well, Tertius is literally a prince, a real prince, so it'll feel like we're at his palace where he'll be dancing with his princess," teased Freddy. "I don't know about Meg, but I'm sure that my bro Tertius here will be more than ready for the end of term gala, right bro?"

"Uh, I guess so…" Tertius finally replied. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Teru-kun…" Meg's cheeks blushed as she softly smiled. "Me too… I guess…"

A few minutes later, they focused back to the ceremony, as it was time for the new Imperial Scholars to deliver their speech one by one.

.

Later, after the ceremony, Prima approached her youngest brother.

"You deserved that cloak." She smiled. "It looks good on you."

"Honestly, I thought I would just collect seven Stella Stars until my graduation, but… I finally got my eighth ones. This was unpredictable."

"I know."

Tertius paused, then offered, "However, I'm glad you all were here to see it."

"Of course, my lovely brother." She tapped his shoulder. "We all needed to see it."

She touched the raven-crimson cloak on her brother's uniform, just to witness it.

"All of us are proud of you, Teru."

"Your sister is right, my lil boy." Marcus appeared a few steps behind them. "That cloak suits you."

"Dad!" Tertius smiled. "I finally did it."

"I see." Marcus nodded as he approached them.

"Wait." Tertius realized something. "Dad, did you come without your advisors? Without the fanfare?"

"Well, it wasn't a royal victory anyway, but it was a human one. I just wanted to be your father first."

Marcus and Tertius sat on a nearby bench as Prima made her way to the other Habsburg, who now were talking with Meg, Anya and the others. Tertius exhaled. "For a long time, I didn't think any of this meant I belonged, but today, in the ceremony, I looked to the third row first… looked at you all."

Marcus nodded, his eyes traced the garden paths as if they were old trails he once knew. "Belonging isn't about where you arrive, but about who walks beside you to get there."

They sat in silence. The laurels rustled. Tertius removed the cloak and folded it carefully, setting it beside him. It wasn't discarded. It was just momentarily at rest. "I think I'm ready for what's next, not because I earned it, but because I saw you all see me."

Marcus softly replied, "Then that's legacy, which isn't inherited. It's witnessed."

Just then, Elena approached them. "Now let's go to Amanda's house, Marcus. Anya said that all of us need to celebrate Meg and Teru's achievement with their friends and the Authens."

"Will we walk there? It's not so far from here, right?" asked Marcus. "It'll be great for us to walk together."

"Dad, are you sure? Well, the apartment building isn't so far from here, but it's not really that near either," Tertius explained. "Sometimes we go there by car, or else, come here from there by car. Especially when it comes to the end of term gala, as it'll be awkward for us to walk to school in dresses and suits."

"I know it, my lil boy, but it isn't wrong for me if I want to come there on foot today, is it?" Marcus shrugged. "There's nothing wrong with it, right? If sometimes a king also wants to visit his sister's house on foot?"

"Well, I just don't want to see you tired once you arrive there," Tertius admitted. "If you don't mind then, I guess all of us can walk together there."

"Great! Let's tell the others and walk there together." the King of Septevia finally nodded, before walked to the rest of his family and told them his decision.

On the way to the Authen's Penthouse, they talked about several things.

"Huh, if only I was enrolled in Eden College years ago…" Prima exhaled, then turned to her brothers and added, "We probably could find each other much earlier, and I could be an Imperial Scholar like all of you."

"Of course, Strauss wouldn't be that stupid to let you study at the same school as us." Primus shrugged. "Even then, you were studied at Fontaine, the rival school of Eden College, and you participated in some of the inter-school competitions. Specifically, in those where I didn't participate at all."

"The most ridiculous thing about that is when some of old bro's friends who participated in the same competition with old sis then reported to old bro that they thought old bro was a spy from Eden College who disguised as Prima Strauss, the girl from Fontaine, to sabotage the competition," Secundus continued, then shook his head. "But that was also when we realized that you might be still alive, old sis."

"I see. That's why all of you weren't really surprised when I came back to the Palace one and a half years ago." Prima nodded. "Now I remember that the representative from Eden College always looked at me awkwardly, like I was a ghost or something…"

"Simply, they knew about me and noticed that we were look alike once they saw you there," concluded Primus. "They could notice that we're twins."

"You're right." Prima smiled. "They recognized our similarities."

"Of course, they did," Secundus pointed out. "Look at you both. Identical twins are scary."

"Secundus, your siblings aren't scary." Elena giggled. "They're the rare case of identical twins."

"Rare?" Tertius turned to his mother. "Mom, what do you mean with that?"

"Well, normally, identical twins will have a same gender, but in a rare case, it's still possible that identical twins have different genders, because of a gene mutation," explained Elena. "At least, that was what my doctor said to me when I was pregnant with Prima and Primus."

"I see."

"By the way…" Secundus changed the subject by turning to Tertius and asking, "Are you ready for the end of term gala, my lil bro? Should you return to Septevia with Meg for the dance training in a few days before that?"

"Old bro, that's unnecessary. I and Meg can have dance training here, in Ostania, so you don't need to worry about that." Tertius exhaled. "We'll be fine here."

"I mean, don't you both want to do some… rehearsal at the castle, I guess?" Secundus corrected. "I'm referring to the school tradition of the crown and the tiara."

"What do you mean with that, old bro? It doesn't mean that I and Meg need to borrow a crown and a tiara from the castle." Tertius shook his head.

"I know, but wouldn't the atmosphere be the same, then?"

"Well…" Tertius paused before he replied, "With or without the crown and the tiara, it'll always be the end of term gala. It's not a big deal at all."

"Rather than teasing your younger brother like that, how about you, Secundus?" asked Elena. "You continue your studies at Berlint University for a while now, but I still can't see anyone beside you."

"Mom, you know that I'm just like old bro. We both aren't into dating…"

"Honestly, that's not good for you both, okay?" Elena cut what her second son said. "People have expectations about your future princesses."

"Mom, dating is about heart and time," Secundus reasoned. "I and old bro just aren't as lucky as Teru here. Some girls at Berlint University wanted to get to know more about me and approached me, and I should admit that some of them are pretty, but… I just haven't found my soulmate yet."

"Alright then." Elena sighed. "I just hope that you both will find your soulmates soon."

Just then, the group arrived at the apartment building.

"Are you tired, Uncle Marcus?" asked Anya in concern.

"No, I'm not. I just can't wait to see your mother, Anya." Marcus smiled. "Even though we're only half-siblings, she's still my older sister."

"I see." Anya smiled back. "Mama seemed so excited when she told me about the celebration. She's really looking forward to your arrival here."

"I'm glad to hear that."

All of them didn't waste their time to make their way to the Authen's Penthouse, and once they arrived there and opened the main door, Amanda greeted them, "It's such a pleasure to see your whole family here, Marcus."

"I'm here, old sis," Marcus replied as all of them walked into the penthouse. "Ever since Elena told me about her quick trip here last year, I'm so curious to see your house."

"Well, Uncle Marcus was so excited that he was even willing to walk from school here just to meet you, Mama," added Anya.

"Oh, really?" Amanda exhaled. "Marcus, you don't need to be like that. You're a King…"

"I'm a down-to-earth King, so it's fine," Marcus assured. "I just want to meet you, old sis. I just want to know the place where you can be yourself."

"I know it. You're a stubborn King." Amanda giggled. "Let's go to the living room. I'll introduce you with my husband and his family here, as they didn't come to Septevia with me and Anya last year, including the people who helped me reuniting with my daughter."

They walked into the living room, where Amanda introduced Albert, Sigmund, Barbara, Loid, Yor and Alfred to Marcus, Primus and Secundus. Meanwhile, the ten teenagers were talking about the special challenge which Anya personally prepared for Tertius.

"Actually, the challenge itself isn't really just about Tertius. It's about all of us," Anya admitted. "You all know that all of our wristwatches recently ran out of battery, right?"

"Oh yeah, that's why I often wake up late just recently." Freddy sighed. "Then, what should we do now?"

"I told Uncle Scruffy about it, but he just gave me one battery, so I want us to compete to get it by playing some rounds of Old Maid."

"So, we'll keep playing until…"

"We'll keep eliminating the losers until the round where just three of us who stay to play, but since both Tertius and Meg were just becoming Imperial Scholars today, I'll give some additional rules," Anya explained, cut what Tertius said. "First of all, we won't begin with ten players. We'll begin with seven, so I, Damian and Meg won't play in the first few rounds. Then Meg will participate if it's Tertius who's eliminated, and Damian will play if it's Meg who's eliminated. I'll play if it's Damian who's eliminated."

"Wait, why should we do that?" Damian frowned. "Can't we just begin with ten players?"

"That'll be too much, Jinan. It'll be better if we start with seven people," Anya reasoned. "Also, it'll be fair enough for us if I have the smallest chance to play and win, as you all know that I have my way to cheat."

"Well, that's reasonable." Meg nodded. "Then, let's start the first round."

.

In the first round, Connie was eliminated.

"Oh, I'm the winner!" Ewen exclaimed.

"So? We still have the second round next." Emile glanced at his best friend. "You can't always be the first one."

"Honestly, I don't really care if later I'm eliminated." Elma shrugged. "I don't think that I still need to wear my wristwatch anyway."

"Well, maybe not for the security features, but we should admit that the daily features are quite useful for us," Tertius opined. "For example, it can help Freddy to wake up early."

"Hey, don't tease me like that, bro," Freddy protested. "Don't you use the same feature to help yourself?"

"I can wake up early without my wristwatch."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Can you both just stop talking?" Becky crossed her arms. "We'll start the second round soon."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Anya, are you sure that you don't want to compete with the others now?" asked Damian.

"Perfectly sure." The pinkette nodded. "I just want to give a chance for the others now."

"Alright then. I just don't have choice but to support you." Damian finally gave up.

.

In the second round, Becky was eliminated.

"Wait, I can feel that someone cheated in the second round." Becky glared at the others. "I can't believe that I'm eliminated."

"I know it's my turn to win now." Freddy smiled. "One step ahead to activate my wristwatch again."

"I don't think so. It'll be my turn." Emile shook his head. "I'll be the winner."

"We'll see it, Emile." Elma smiled. "The competition is still ongoing."

"Now I wonder if I'll be eliminated in the later round…" Tertius exhaled. "We can't be really sure about everything here."

"You're right." Ewen nodded. "Now I'm fifth in the second round."

"Ewen, can't you just let me win from you?" Becky tried to convince her boyfriend. "You know I like my wristwatch so much. It makes me feel so cool, not to mention about my favorite color."

"I can't do that, Becks. I'm not like Damian who can easily give in to Anya," Ewen genuinely replied.

"What did you just say, Ewen?" Damian glared at the blonde. "You perfectly know that it'll be impossible for me to do that here now, right? She'll play only if I'm eliminated."

"I know, but in normal circumstances, you'll definitely do that."

"Well… you're right in that case though."

"Anyways, are you guys ready for the third round?" asked Anya.

"Yeah, we're ready!" Freddy, Emile, Elma, Tertius and Ewen replied to the telepath before the cards were shuffled and redistributed.

.

Surprisingly, Freddy was eliminated in the third round, right after he became the first one in the second round.

"Ouch, it hurts." Freddy sighed, dramatically said, "Rest in Peace, my cool black wristwatch."

"See? I'm the winner when you're eliminated." Emile smirked. "Just accept your defeat, Freddy."

"Uh-huh, I accept it." Freddy rolled his eyes.

"Now there are only the four of us left," Tertius pointed out. "From now on, the competition definitely will be more intense than before."

"I'm so excited!" Elma cheerfully replied. "We'll find out about the real winner soon."

"I don't think so." Ewen shook his head. "I mean, if the winner was Tertius, it might be true, but what if he was defeated?"

"Then I'll play against you three," replied Meg, who then realized something. "Oh wow. I just noticed that the three of you all have the initials 'E' - Ewen, Emile & Elma."

"You're right, Montrose!" Emile flicked his fingers. "We're the unbeatable E trio."

"But first of all, you three need to prove it in our next round," Tertius retorted. "I'll be your challenger."

"Deal! We'll prove it right away." Ewen turned to Emile and Elma before he continued. "I'm really sure that one of us from the E trio will be the overall winner."

"We'll find it out soon, Ewen."

Once again, the cards were shuffled, redistributed, and started to be played. Tertius looked at his deck seriously before he took one card from Elma.

'Alright, this is bad.' Tertius swept his sweat off from his forehead. 'I guess this is my limit then.'

.

A few minutes later, the E trio successfully eliminated both Tertius and Meg in the fourth and fifth rounds, forced Damian to play with them in the sixth round.

"I'm sorry, Damian-kun. I just can't play it well, so they can eliminate me this quick," Meg apologized. "I rarely play cards."

"It's okay, Montrose. I still have chance to win, anyway." Damian shrugged.

"Damian, we're best friends, but it doesn't mean that we'll be willing to let you win from us," replied Ewen.

"I know, and I don't mind about that, Ewen." Damian smirked. "I'm sure I can eliminate at least one of you three."

"Don't be too confident, Damian," Emile retorted. "The E trio here will take the last few rounds seriously."

"Up to you, Emile." Damian rolled his eyes. "We'll see who become the winner and laugh at the end."

"I don't really care about win or lose. I just want to play happily," Elma admitted. "Let's start the round."

Surprisingly, Ewen could easily win in the sixth round, but of course, Damian didn't give up. He successfully won from Elma and Emile.

"Alright, so now I'm eliminated." Emile exhaled.

"Nice try, bro, but you should know better than to push me like that. Not to mention that I still remember that you're always cheating anytime we play poker here." Damian tapped Emile's shoulder. "You unintentionally motivate me, so I can be determined to defeat you."

"I get it now. No more cheating against you, or else, you'll silently take revenge on me." Emile deadpanned.

"Well, I'm glad you understand."

"Wow, what a surprise," Anya commented. "Now the finalists are Ewen, Damian and Elma."

They then started the seventh round, but surprisingly, Elma could defeat the two boys in a few minutes. Not so long after that, all of Ewen's cards were finished, and Damian was eliminated.

"Alright, so that means the battery belongs to Elma…"

"Not yet, Anya. You haven't played yet, so we need to have another round against you," Elma cut what Anya said. "It's unfair if you don't play with us."

"It'll be unfair if I'm cheating against you both."

"I know you won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"My instinct told me, perhaps?" Elma shrugged. "Even if you're cheating, I don't care. You're the one who needs the battery for your wristwatch the most among all of us."

"Well, if you're insist… I'll play then." Anya sighed, then turned to Ewen and asked, "Is it okay for you?"

"It's fine, really," Ewen assured. "Let's play then."

.

"Wow, you clearly aren't cheating, and yet… you still win." Elma smiled. "That's impressive!"

"Thanks for your compliment, Elma." Anya smiled back. "I guess now we can conclude that my plan is failed successfully."

"What do you mean with that?" asked Ewen curiously. "Do you mean to do something else?"

"As you all already know, everything is okay now, so actually, I also don't really need the battery for my wristwatch like you guys," Anya started to explain. "Even we can conclude that all of us don't need to use our wristwatches anymore, so I have plan to return the battery with all of them to Uncle Scruffy."

"Who says that? I still need to…"

"You just need to buy a better alarm clock, Freddy." Anya exhaled. "After all, we don't use it much now, so I think to replace it with something better. It's not as useful as the wristwatches though, but it can be our new friendship symbol."

The pinkette then took out ten customized rubber wristbands and shown it to the others. "I think we need these wristbands more than our wristwatches, because right after the school break, we'll face something new, as the next term will be different. We'll prepare ourselves to continue our studies in university, so we'll start to learn different things…"

"I see." Damian nodded. "In the next term, we'll only study the subjects related to the major that we want to take at the university later, so we'll be in different classes most of the time."

"Yup, and these wristbands will remind us with each other," Anya finally concluded. "I intentionally match the color with our wristwatches', but unluckily, I couldn't find the golden and silver ones, so Meg will have the orange one and Connie will have the gray one instead."

"Don't worry, Anya. I like orange anyway." Meg smiled, then examined her wristband and noticed her name written on it in white. "I see. So, our names are written on each of our wristband in our boyfriend or girlfriend's color, right?"

"Yeah, that's right, Meg." Anya then replaced her yellow wristwatch with the yellow wristband with her name written on it in purple, before she shown more details on it. "You also can find some colorful dots around your name, which represent the others. Here, mine has pink, maroon, blue, green, white, orange, black and gray dots."

"Oh, that's right!" Connie nodded. "My name is written in black, and I can see the colorful dots around my name."

Finally, all of them replaced their wristwatches with the wristbands. They were wearing the rubber accessories as their friendship was becoming stronger than before.

Notes:

*: I already wrote the explanation about the tradition of the crown and tiara in chapter 4 of 'The Journey of Their Relationship'. It's one of my headcanon for this series that the new Imperial Scholars should wear a crown or a tiara in their first end of term gala as an Imperial Scholar.

Chapter 30: The Future of the Cousins

Summary:

The cousins set up their future, starting from their Graduation Party to their Reunion.

Notes:

And finally, we reach the end of the story.

The first part of this chapter is actually just contained some additional information about the Graduation Party which I already wrote in 'Our Graduation and Engagement', specifically about what happened with Freddy, Connie, Tertius and Meg during the preparation of the party and the Graduation Party itself. This chapter will be the only one which will have the first person POV of the main cousins in this fic (Anya, Freddy and Tertius).

Well then, happy reading!

Tertius's POV

'Graduation, huh?'

I was in my dorm room, sitting on my desk when I suddenly thought of the upcoming Graduation Party.

'Meg accepted my offer to dance with her, so I need to do something which can strengthen our relationship… but what should I do?'

I sighed, thought to ask at least one of my roommates, only to realize that I wasn't really that near with all of them. I looked at the white rubber wristbands around my left wrist, the one which my cousin, Anya, gave me last year.

'If only there was one of them who was in Specter Hall like me… I would just easily ask his suggestion now. Bonus point if he was in this room, so I didn't need to walk out from here.'

'Then, should I give something to Meg? But what should I give to her?'

I suddenly remembered about what happened with all of my siblings right after the celebration of me and Meg becoming the Imperial Scholars, especially regarding their soulmates.

Somehow, it seemed like the universe granted Mom's wish to see both of my older brothers dating someone, as Primus coincidentally met one of his old friends from Eden College and fell in love with her so easily, then Secundus unexpectedly confessed his feelings to one of his juniors at Berlint University a few months after that.

Both of them then introduced their girlfriends as they brought them to the palace six months ago, and I thought they were such good girlfriends for my brothers.

That was also why I supported Primus's decision to propose his girlfriend, Lana Lance, just recently, and why I supported Secundus's decision to bring his girlfriend, Veronica Valdez, to live with him in his apartment in Berlint - we made sure that they didn't sleep in the same bedroom before they got married though, for the sake of the kingdom's reputation.

Both of my brothers were drastically changed only in one year.

About Prima, my only older sister, it was different case.

Our kingdom used to hold several events, where we invited some people from other kingdoms, and in one of those events, she met her soulmate. Prince Arthur Davenport of Berge. He was an heir, so she had plan to live with him in Berge once they got married.

Of course, she still didn't want to be an heiress, despite being born a few minutes before Primus. My parents didn't have choice but to accept her decision, even though my father kept telling her about his friend, the King of Briticia, who decided to have an heiress.

I personally just wanted the best for all of us, so maybe her decision wasn't really that bad. My father was just being dramatic.

'Why did you think about your older siblings, Teru? They're okay now,' I reminded myself. 'Now the problem is Meg. What can I give her in the Graduation Party?'

Once again, I exhaled. 'Should I propose her?'

I looked at my alarm clock on my desk. It was 11 AM.

'I'll just take my lunch at a cafe now. Hopefully, I'll get a good idea on my way there.' I sighed, then walked out from my room.

.

Anya's POV

"Becky!" I greeted my best friend right when I arrived at the boutique with Papa. "You're already here!"

"Yeah, but I guess we need to wait for the other girls. Maybe they'll arrive here 30 minutes from now." Becky shrugged. "Anyways, let's see your dress first."

I nodded, then we walked into the boutique, right after Becky greeted Papa. I didn't waste my time to ask one of the boutique employees to bring that nostalgic dress out from my family's private closet, as we were the regular clients there.

Yup, that dress. That nostalgic black dress that I was wearing in my first end of term gala long time ago.

I smiled when I saw the boutique employee walked back with that small black dress. I exhaled as I hugged it. "Thank you, Papa. Fortunately, I could change my mind and decide not to donate this dress in the Second Charity Event at school eight and a half years ago. I can't believe that we have a same idea for my Graduation Party."

I still remember the moment when I sorted all of my old clothes that time, when I showed that small dress to Chichi and tried to persuade him to keep the dress.

.

"Is it including this one?" I asked while walking out from my bedroom, holding out the black dress. "Can we just save this one? It was too expensive back then."

"Ah, that five thousand dalc dress…" Chichi tiredly exhaled before he turned his attention back to the newspaper he read. "Just donate it, Anya. You absolutely can't wear it anymore. You're a fifth grader now. I guess that one is suitable for the Silent Auction."

I pouted. "But this one is memorable. Why can't we just save it for nostalgia's sake? I chose it myself back then, so it's like my treasure."

Chichi reasoned, "I know it, but what's the benefit to save it if you can't wear it anymore? If you auction it off, that'll be more helpful. If you just put it in your room, it'll just become a decoration."

"Oh, alright then." I finally gave up, walked into my bedroom and closed the door as I put the dress under my desk, along with my other old clothes which I would donate.

.

Papa shook his head as he replied, "Don't mention it, Anya. That's such a cute dress, and I can understand why you didn't want to donate it in that time. I also think that it'll be good if you wear something identical with that dress in your Graduation Party, so I decided to ask our private dressmaker to make a bigger replica for you, to be wear in the Graduation Party."

He flicked his fingers to call the dressmaker, who came to us with the said replica. I widened my smile when I realized that they adjusted the replica to my current body size.

"I know it, Papa." I took the replica from the dressmaker. "Thanks for the replica."

"Still, I wonder if Damian would realize that you saved that dress here so that you could wear the replica or something similar in the Graduation Party or not." Becky shrugged. "He came here with us back then, and he saw you gave the dress to be saved here."

Honestly, one of my reasons to wear the replica in the Graduation Party was to surprise Damian, my boyfriend, to remind both of us that I shared my deepest secret to him while wearing the original dress, when I danced with him in that first end of term gala. He didn't believe what I said back then, but we did have that shared dream about our actual first meeting a few hours after the dance, and it was memorable.

I softened my expression as I replied, "Well, I just hope that he'll be glad to receive our surprise - my surprise. He did ask me about my reason to save this dress here, but in that time, I just wanted to put it in a safe place. I was just afraid that if Chichi found out that I didn't donate it in the Charity Event, he would force me to sell this dress."

"I won't." Unexpectedly, Chichi walked into the boutique and approached us, replied what I said before he concluded, "So, that's what happened when Albert bought your first haute couture dress here…"

I exclaimed, "Chichi! I can't believe that you want to come here now. Did Papa tell you about the dress?"

He nodded. "Yeah, he told me. He told me that you saved that dress here, and honestly, I think that's such a good decision."

I quickly teased him, "Why? So, you don't need to be reminded that you should pay that much for this small dress? Also, you just worried too much that Auntie Sylvia would kill you just because of the dress back then."

I remembered that she was getting married with Chichi's father, but 'Auntie Sylvia' still sounded better than 'Grandma Sylvia', so I chose to call her like that.

"Well, she did lecture me a bit because of that dress, but then…" He paused for a few seconds before added, "She just sighed and asked if you were happy and comfortable wearing the dress or not. She asked if you enjoyed the dance or not."

I couldn't help but curiously asked, "Then, why did you ask me to donate it in the Charity Event back then?"

He admitted, "I was just afraid that the dress would be damaged just because you didn't store it properly, Anya. You were such a careless girl back then."

I pouted. I admitted that I'd ever unintentionally teared off the tippets of the dress from the sleeves in that first end of term gala, but Ms. Muchberry fixed it before I danced with Damian, and since then, I treasured that dress so much. How dare you, Chichi.

Becky then asked him, "By the way, Mr. Loid, why do you come here now? I mean, you must be having another intention besides to see Anya's dress here."

He explained, "I want to take the suits that we ordered for Alfred, so he can wear it in his second end of term gala."

Becky nodded. "Oh, I almost forgot that Alfred is a first grader in Eden College now. Also, the end of term gala will be held on the same day with the Graduation Party, so it makes sense for you to order his suits here."

Chichi smiled. "Yeah, I asked him to follow me here, but he's just too attached to Alice now."

'Alice…' I thought about her, my cute three-month-old younger sister. I couldn't help but giggled as I replied, "I know. I guess, if it wasn't because of these dresses, I would be at home right now, to take care of our lovely baby sister with him. Alice is just too adorable to be ignored."

Honestly, Alice was just so adorable, with her blond hair and crimson eyes. Now I wonder if she was older, would she be a popular girl at school?

However, I decided not to talk about it, or else, Chichi would think about it too much. That would be a problem for me.

Papa exhaled. "Huh, if only I and Amanda were as lucky as you and Yor, Loid… We also wanted to give a little sibling for Anya, but we just can't."

"I tapped his shoulder, assured, "Papa, cheer up. I don't care if you and Mama can't give me any little siblings. I just want to live with you both together, along with Grandpa Siggy, Grandma Barb, Chichi, Haha, Bond, Alfred and Alice. All of you are my treasures."

As he heard my last statement, Chichi immediately teased me back, "Oh? So, you treasure us like that small dress in your arms?"

I protested, but then I shifted my attention to the replica dress in my arms, realized that I hadn't tried to wear it yet, so I made my way to the fitting room and tried to wear it.

A few minutes later, when I walked out from the fitting room with the replica dress, the other girls were already there.

"Oh, what a cute dress," commented Elma, the only one there who didn't know about the original, small dress. "It makes you look stunning, Anya."

I smiled. "Thanks for your compliment, Elma."

"Wait for a second! I think I've ever seen that dress somewhere…" Connie adjusted her glasses before she asked, "Is it the replica of the dress you were wearing in our first end of term gala?"

"Yup! That's right, Connie." I nodded. "I want to surprise Damian with this dress, so don't tell him about it, okay?"

"I see. The Graduation Party is a special event, so you need to wear a special dress. Not to mention that you'll dance with him again, right?" Meg smiled. "It's your last dance with him at school anyway, so you want to make it meaningful like your first dance, right?"

"Uh-huh, you're right, Meg."

We then looked for the dresses that the others would wear in the Graduation Party.

.

Freddy's POV

When I arrived at the Cecile Hall's Garden for our usual morning tea, I noticed that my girlfriend and some of my best friends weren't there.

"Wait, where's, Connie, Anya, Damian, Tertius and Meg?" I asked.

"Well, Anya and Damian accompany Alfred to the Wald Hall. There's something that Anya wants to say to Bill, and Damian wants to make sure that Bill won't ever steal his girlfriend." Becky exhaled. "We don't know about Connie, Tertius and Meg though, because we just arrived here a few minutes ago."

"I see." I sighed as I sat down onto my seat. "Then, can I ask you about Connie?"

"Uh, sure." Becky nodded. "What is it?"

"Well, I heard that she was buying her dress with you and the other girls yesterday, at the Authen's favorite boutique…" I scratched my head. "Did she seem disappointed because… she doesn't graduate from school as an Imperial Scholar?"

"No, she didn't. We were having fun while choosing our dresses." Becky shook her head. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm just afraid if she's actually sad because at the end, she just can collect seven Stella Stars." I exhaled. "I don't want her to be disappointed with herself."

"Then, can you just buy her a gift? Something which can be translated as 'you already do your best and become the best for me' or something like that," Becky suggested. "It doesn't need to be pricey, but valuable enough for you to give it to her."

"Oh, what about a star-shaped necklace? I mean, a star pendant necklace," added Elma. "Just think of the pendant as her last Stella Star, and she's already an Imperial Scholar in your eyes."

"Wow, that's a good idea, Becky, Elma!" I smiled. "I'll buy the necklace after school."

"Ah, good morning, Freddy!" greeted Anya as she approached our table, but then she realized something. "Wait. Did you just… arrive here even before Tertius?"

"Believe it or not, here I am, and I still don't have idea where Tertius is." I shrugged. "By the way, Becky told me that you walked to the Wald Hall with Damian…"

"Yes, but now he's talking with Bill about something."

"I see." I nodded. Bill was Damian's rival after all, so he needed to confirm that their 'love battle' was over now. At least that was my conclusion.

A few minutes later, Connie arrived there with Tertius and Meg.

"Bro, did you just come late to our morning tea session?" I teased the prince. "You're a boarding student, right?"

"Yeah, but there was something I needed to do first at the dorm before I come here," Tertius retorted. "Coincidentally, Mike woke up late, so right after I met Meg, Mike and Connie near the school gate, we accompanied Mike to Specter Hall before we walked here."

"Hi, Freddy. Nice to see you here," greeted Connie. "I'm glad that you can wake up earlier now."

"Well, at least it can be useful for me once we continue our study in university." I smiled, genuinely proud of myself. "That's what you call a character development."

"Oh yeah, sure. What a great character development of you," replied Anya sarcastically as she smirked. "You surely make your cousin proud right here."

Meg giggled as she took her teacup, right when Damian just arrived.

"Montrose, why did you laugh? Did something happen?" Damian frowned.

Meg shook her head. "Just the usual cousins dynamic between Anya and Freddy."

We then talked about the Graduation Party.

"Girls, can we all go to the party together?" asked Anya to the other four girls. "All of us are commuting students anyway."

"I wanted to, but I can't. I'm sorry, Anya," Meg apologized. "My parents asked me to come here with Mike. They want me to accompany him to his end of term gala before I attend the Graduation Party."

"I see…"

"Then, how about you, Connie?" asked Becky to my girlfriend. "Can you come with us?"

"I'm sorry, Becky, but I just can't." Connie adjusted her glasses. "My father wants to accompany me to the party."

"So that means… you both just can't make it…" Becky exhaled. "It's okay. We'll just meet each other at the party, and it's fine, really. At least, we still can buy jewelry together on Thursday, right?"

Connie and Meg nodded, then we finalized our decision just when the bell rang.

.

Tertius's POV

On Friday, after school…

"Wait, why are you here now?" I asked Damian as we coincidentally met at the jewelry store. "What are you doing?"

"Well, I… want to buy… a diamond ring," he nervously replied. "How about you, Tertius?"

"Uh, I guess… we want to buy the same thing." I nodded. "Do you want to propose Anya?"

"P-Propose… Uh, not really… I just want to make her my fiancé, if you don't mind. I'll ask her in the Graduation Party."

"Of course, I don't mind, Damian," I assured him. "You both are loving each other anyway, so I don't think it's wrong for you to be engaged with her."

"Oh, thank you then…" Damian paused before he asked me back, "How about you? Are you planning something special for Montrose?"

"Precisely, I want to propose her in the Graduation Party, similar with your plan," I replied confidently. "So that I and Meg can talk about our marriage shortly after Secundus gets married with his girlfriend, Vero."

"Ah, I heard that all of your siblings suddenly can easily meet their soulmates in this whole year, right?" Damian pointed out. "I mostly heard about Primus and Lana though, since they're at the same grade with Demetrius and Della."

"Della?" I frowned, but then I remembered. "Oh yeah, Della Duncan, your brother's fiancé."

I chuckled before added, "I still remember when almost all people at school assumed it as a new school wonder, that your brother were dating."

"It couldn't help. Demetrius isn't really care about his own physical appearance, yet Della chose him over your oldest brother, who obviously more aware about something like that." Damian exhaled. "Even so, my mother was happy to hear that Demetrius genuinely loved Della and asked her to be his girlfriend, so that's a good thing. They even plan to get married this year."

"I know." I smiled. "Will they talk about their marriage plan soon?"

"Well, the Duncan will talk about it with Demetrius and my mother at the night of the Graduation Party, so I have plan to stay at the Authen's Penthouse that night." He smiled back. "I wanted to help them, but Della's sister, Dahlia Duncan, would mistranslate it as a scandal, and I don't want it."

"That's my bro." I tapped his shoulder.

We then helped each other to choose our diamond rings, before someone else entered the store, and it was Freddy.

"Wait, why are you both here, bro?" asked him.

"Uh, we want to buy rings for our girlfriends." I shrugged. "Then, why are you here?"

"I want to take my order from four days ago, a customized necklace special for Connie," he admitted. "She can't be an Imperial Scholar until the end, so I want to cheer her up by giving her the necklace."

"Oh, Freddy, I don't know you can be this romantic," commented Damian genuinely. "You ordered a customized necklace? That sounds great."

"Actually, Becky and Elma suggested the idea to me, so I ordered the necklace on Monday." Freddy scratched his head. "I wanted to make it special for Connie, so I customized it."

Just then, the jewelry store clerk brought out Freddy's order, a necklace with Stella Star shaped pendant.

"Hey, bro… your idea is brilliant," I complimented him. "She'll be happy to receive it from you."

"Thanks, bro." He smiled, revealing his signature left fang. "I really hope she likes it."

In return, I and Damian shown him the rings we bought.

"Damn, you both are serious." He shook his head in amazement. "Okay, you can tell me that an engagement and a proposal are different things, but for me, those are the same thing. Both involve a diamond ring, after all."

"You think so? Uh, alright then…" Damian paused before he asked, "Tertius, do you already have plan about when exactly you'll propose Montrose?"

"I'm not really sure, but I don't want my proposal to be too revealing. I mean, I want the proposal to be private," I replied. "Like I and Meg sneak out from the party to the courtyard and then I propose her there."

"I see." Damian nodded. "What about you, Freddy? Do you want to give the necklace to Carmichael privately?"

"I… guess so? I mean, I'll be a bit nervous if some of our classmates see the moment I give this necklace to Connie."

"Wait, why did you ask me and Freddy about that, Damian?" I noticed. "Do you want to suggest something to us about it?"

"Well… more like giving you both the chance to sneak out from the party without anyone knowing," he offered. "Because… I have plan to celebrate my engagement in the party and make it kinda public, so… I guess there'll be a chance for you both to sneak out when everyone else focused their attention to me and Anya."

I and Freddy exchanged glances before I turned back to Damian and finally said, "I'm in then."

"Me too," Freddy quickly added. "So, what's your plan?"

.

On Sunday, at the Graduation Party…

As both Meg and Connie didn't come to the party with Anya, Becky and Elma, I and Freddy didn't wait for them with Damian, Ewen and Emile. While the trio were waiting for their girlfriends near the ballroom's main entrance, I and Freddy were waiting for our girlfriends near the snack table.

Connie arrived and approached us first, right after she greeted Damian, Ewen and Emile. "Freddy, Teru, I'm glad to see you both here."

"Me too, Connie. You look so beautiful, as always," praised Freddy with smile on his face. "Sage green looked good on you, but midnight blue looks even better on you."

"It seems compatible with your navy suit." Connie smiled. "Even though we didn't buy it at the same boutique this time."

"Then, which one suits me better, sunset gold or navy?" asked Freddy.

"Actually, black still suits you best, but navy makes you look more mature," Connie genuinely admitted. "It suits you better than sunset gold."

I was too focusing on them when Meg finally approached us there. "Teru-kun, I hope you didn't wait for me too long."

I shook my head. "You need to accompany Mike to his end of term gala before you come here, right? I'm okay with that, as long as I can see you here now."

"Well then… Teru-kun, what do you think about my dress?" Meg shyly asked as she shown her lavender dress to me. "Does it look good on me?"

"Actually, I personally wonder if you would wear a bold color dress for the Graduation Party, but I guess… lavender suits you better." I smiled. "You always look great in soft colors."

"Thanks for your compliment, Teru-kun." She smiled back. "You also look great in your suit."

Just then, we heard the music started playing. Time for the dance.

"Then, Princess Meg, may I have this dance, please?" I asked.

"Teru-kun, I'm not a princess. You're the prince." Meg giggled. "But anyway, I want to dance with you. Let's dance now, Prince Teru."

Not so long after we started dancing, Freddy gestured his hands and asked Connie, "Might I have the honor of a dance with you?"

"Freddy…" Connie didn't waste her time to accept the fang boy's gesture. "Dancing with you is one of my favorite things, so of course, I love to dance with you, my fang boy."

We were dancing for a while, though I and Freddy couldn't help but kept glancing at Damian, who now was talking with Anya as they kept dancing.

Until that time, when we saw him cleared his throat, I and Freddy stopped our dance and pull both Meg and Connie out from the ballroom, then we were separated as I and Meg walked to different parts of the courtyard from Freddy and Connie.

"Teru-kun, what happened? Why did you bring me to the courtyard? The dance is not over yet." Meg frowned.

"Well, Damian is going to ask Anya to get engaged with him in the ballroom now, but I want to ask you… something similar, but bolder." I kneeled in front of her and shown her the ring before I asked, "Meg Montrose, will you marry me?"

"T-Teru-kun… Is it too early for us to get married now? Why did you…"

"I love you so much," I admitted. "We won't get married right away after this though… I just want to get married with you right after all of my siblings are get married with their soulmates. I just want to make sure that you also want the same thing, that you also want to marry me."

"O-Of course I want to, Teru-kun," she finally replied.

"Really?"

She nodded. "Tertius Habsburg, I want to marry you."

Just then, we heard something from the ballroom, like some people just giving applause for something that just recently happened there.

"It must be Damian and Anya." I smiled, then turned back to Meg in front of me. "So, may I put this ring on you?"

Meg nodded. "Of course, my prince."

.

Freddy's POV

"Freddy, wait. Why should we-"

"I want to give you something here," I cut what Connie said once we arrived at the courtyard, a bit far from the spot where Tertius pulled Meg to. "Something to tell you that you're so special in my eyes, even though you just could get seven Stella Stars in these thirteen years we studied here."

"Freddy? What do you mean with that?" asked Connie. "Well, I was disappointed the moment I looked at the school final result and realized that I still didn't make it until the end, but at least… I'm not alone, and I don't regret it."

"I know, but I still want to give you this." I quickly opened the necklace box and took out the necklace with Stella shaped pendant, then carefully put it around her neck as I said, "Because in my eyes, this necklace is your last Stella Stars, and in my heart, you're an Imperial Scholar like me."

"Freddy…" Connie held the Stella shaped pendant. "You don't need to do this."

"But I need to, and I want to," I seriously said, "It's because… I want to see you happy."

"Then, thank you, Freddy. I really appreciate it." Connie finally smiled. "This necklace is so pretty."

"A pretty necklace for a pretty young woman." I smiled back.

"You know, it's so rare to see you that serious." Connie giggled. "Even so, it makes me love you even more."

I was surprised. "Really?"

She nodded. "It doesn't really suit you, but I like it anyway."

"Connie." I exhaled, but she just giggled. We then decided to walk back into the ballroom while holding hands.

'Well, maybe it's just out of character for me to be serious, but I don't care, as long as you smile in front of me, Connie.'

.

Anya's POV

The execution of my surprise was going smoothly, but even better, Damian himself gave me an even bigger surprise than mine.

Well, I'd been finding out that he also had a plan to surprise me in the Graduation Party since the time he accompanied me and Alfred to Wald Hall on Monday, but I just couldn't believe that apparently, he wanted to get engaged with me. That was such a big surprise for me.

Of course, I quickly accepted his offer, and from now on, I became his fiancé.

Then, when he hugged me right after his offer, I realized that he even gave me a bigger surprise as I suddenly heard the applause from everyone in the ballroom, including all of our teachers!

I whispered, "Damian, did you ask all of them to work together with you to prepare all this? They were dancing with us before, right? Since when they started paying attention to us here?"

He scratched his head as he replied, "I guess, they started paying attention to us since… I cleared my throat? Anyways, don't you think it'll be great to celebrate our engagement here?"

I was unsure as I said, "Well, it's probably a good idea, but… the teachers…"

"They also clapped their hands. Don't you see it?" He broke his hug then took a small box from his trouser pocket. When he opened the box, I could see that there was a diamond ring inside it. He said, "So, as we're engaged now, let me give you something to complete it."

He took that delicate diamond ring out from the box and slipped it onto my finger, and that was when I realized something that happened on Thursday, when I was shopping jewelry with Becky and the others. Becky suddenly just asked me to measure my ring fingers, both the left and the right ones.

I giggled when I told Damian my conclusion, that Becky told him the size of my finger, and he just admitted it. He asked her help so he could give a perfect ring for me.

Just then, Becky approached us, seemed grateful that finally Damian could be honest with his own feelings in front of all of the other students here. Damian then thanked her for her help, Before Becky walked away with Ewen to do something else.

Surprisingly, right after that, Chichi, Haha, Damian's mother and Demetrius approached us then. Chichi complimented Damian as he patted his shoulders.

I curiously asked their reason to be here now, as I remembered that all of them had gone home after the Graduation Ceremony this morning, and he replied that someone called them and told them about Damian's plan, who was none other than Mr. Henderson!

The old teacher then explained that he knew about Damian's plan from Becky and Elma, so he thought that it was better for him to tell our family about the sudden celebration of our engagement.

Both I and Damian then sighed deeply, before looked at each other and smiled as I saw his cheeks blushed, while at the same time, I also felt warm on my cheeks. We both thought the same thing, 'It's a perfect prom night for us.'

Later that day, I found out that apparently, when Damian asked me to get engaged with him, Tertius proposed Meg at the courtyard, while at the same time Freddy gave Connie a necklace with a Stella shaped pendant.

'So, it's also a perfect prom night for them, my cousins…' I exhaled. 'That's great.'

.

.

A few years later…

As all of their children were at the same age, the gang enrolled them at Eden College, so they could maintain their friendship as well.

Today, to celebrate their children's success in their entrance exam, they held a small reunion at a family restaurant.

As it was their first meeting with each other, the children introduced themselves.

"My name is Cassandra Habsburg, but you can call me Cassie. My father is the third prince of Septevia, and my mother is supporting him so much," started Cassandra, Tertius and Meg's daughter. "It's such a pleasure to meet you all."

"My name is Calvin Klaus, and she's my twin sister, Clara Klaus. Our father is a lawyer, and our mother is a casual clothes designer," said Freddy and Connie's son, Calvin, as he smiled to the others. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you!" Clara waved her hands to the other kids.

"My name is Aurelia Egeburg. My father is an astronaut, and my mother is a CEO of Blackbell Corporation and an owner of a famous boutique." Becky and Ewen's daughter pinned her bangs as she introduced herself. "I hope we can get along well like our parents."

"My name is Finn Elman. My father is a famous pastry chef, and my mother is a pediatrician." Emile and Elma's son smiled brightly. "Nice to share my father's creation with you."

"My name is Carolyn Desmond. My father is the CEO of the Desmond Group, and my mother is the counselor at Eden College, so we'll meet her often at school." Anya and Damian's daughter bowed her head. "Nice to meet you all here now."

"Well then, now all of you already know about each other, let me give you all something precious," said Anya who then put two brand new wristwatches in different colors onto the table in front of her daughter. "Carolyn, choose one of these two wristwatches and wear it. Do you want the yellow one or the purple one?"

"Mama, you already know that my favorite color is yellow, so of course I'll choose the yellow one," replied Carolyn as she picked up the yellow wristwatch from the table. "But why do you suddenly give this to me, mama?"

"Well, I just want to give something which can be helpful for you and the others, because honestly, I've ever had this wristwatch before, and it helped me, papa and our friends here through some of the toughest moments in our lives." Anya smiled to her daughter as she took the purple wristwatch back and put it into her handbag.

Damian chuckled. "Also, it made sure mama always had a way to tease papa."

"Really?" Carolyn's emerald eyes widened. "I also want to tease papa."

"Hey, why do you say it, sweetie?" Damian gently pinched Carolyn's left cheek. "I'm not intended to let you tease me with that wristwatch."

"But you did tell her about me teasing you, Damian." Anya smirked. "Don't worry, dear. I guess our Carolyn just want you to spoil her."

"Huh, alright then."

"Well, who'll be the next one…" said Anya as she approached her best friend's daughter and shown both the pink and maroon ones in front of her. "Then, Aurel, do you want the pink one or the maroon one?"

"I'll choose the pink one, Auntie," replied Aurelia excitedly before she examined her new pink wristwatch. "Mama, do you know about this wristwatch? Can I do something cool with this?"

"Oh, absolutely." Becky grinned. "With this one, you can send secret messages to your new friends here, track each other's locations, and even wake up on time!"

"Well, for the last feature, papa just hope that you won't ever be too relying on it though…" Ewen couldn't help but laughed as he continued his words, "Because you'll be so grumpy every time the battery runs out, like Uncle Freddy over there."

"Ewen, I can hear you." Freddy glared at him. "Don't make me look bad in front of your daughter."

"I'm sorry, Freddy, but I just want to be honest in front of my daughter." Ewen shrugged. "She needs to know your true color."

"Whatever." Freddy exhaled.

After put the maroon wristwatch into her handbag, Anya approached Emile and Elma's son and shown him the blue and green wristwatches. "Finn, which one do you want to choose?"

"The blue ones," replied the boy instantly as he ran his fingers over his chosen wristwatch, fascinated by its sleek design. He then asked his parents, "Dad, mom, did you both wear your old wristwatches every day when you were young?"

Elma nodded. "Yes, we did, Finn. That time, it reminded us that no matter where we were, we were always connected."

Emile smiled as he added, "It also made sure we never lost each other, even when our life got busy."

"Calvin, Clara, it's your turn now." Anya approached the twins. "But, since I have two wristwatches for you both, then I'll give the black one to Calvin, and the silver one to Clara."

Calvin grinned as he remembered what Ewen said moments ago. "So, you were too relying on this wristwatch back then, dad. Did this really help you wake up on time."

"Yeah, I should admit it though…" Freddy groaned. "That's why I was desperately wanted to get the battery in that celebration!"

Connie giggled. "I remember you even said, 'Rest in Peace' to your own wristwatch just because you didn't get the battery."

"Alright then, I won't complain about it this time."

Then finally, Anya turned to Cassandra. "Cassie, white or gold?"

"Gold!" replied Cassandra cheerfully before she asked her father, "Dad, did your wristwatch help you be a good prince?"

Tertius smiled as he shook his head. "Not directly. It helped me to be a good friend first, and that's just as important."

"Dad's right, Cassie," replied Meg softly. "It reminded us that leadership isn't just about power, but also about trust."

"I see." Cassandra nodded, then asked Anya, "By the way, Auntie, what's your relationship with my father?"

"Hmm, let's see…" Anya paused before she finally answered, "I'm his cousin."

Notes:

I'll update this ASAP.

Kudos and Comments are appreciated.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 6 of The Forgers is supposed to be Authen(tic)