"What are you, Nephew-in-law"

Hearing Deventhia’s words, Thalia’s eyes widened in surprise.

Although nervous about Zeph’s state, her mind also noted those words, making her understand the meaning and intention of Deventhia to knot Valeriana with him.

’Afterall, they are made for each other,’ Thalia thought, clenching her dress. She felt like an obstacle between Valeriana and Zeph.

Valeriana was the future Queen, and Zeph seemed more than suitable for her, but she was nothing.

At that moment, she realized the reason behind her father’s words about reaching more status and power: it was merely to obtain what you want and avoid feeling helpless when someone takes what belongs to you.

"It’s not like you can’t marry him," Hearing those words, Thalia turned her emerald eyes towards a woman who looked at her with a smile.

As her mind processed the meaning behind those words, a tear fell from Thalia’s eye as she pounced on Deventhia, exclaiming, "Thank you, Mother!"

"W-what?!"

Deventhia, who seemed unwavering in any situation, was suddenly taken aback by the title Thalia used.

However, seeing her tightly hugging her, she didn’t say much, trying to return the embrace, as she spoke "What does that mea—"

Thalia swiftly retreated, interrupting Deventhia mid-sentence, "No, I’m sorry. It’s just... my mother always gave me everything, and hearing your words brought those memories back...sniff "

Deventhia looked at the girl, unable to contain her twitching mouth.

Thalia’s act was so perfect that she herself might have believed it, if she hadn’t known about Thalia’s real mother.

Looking at Thalia, she sighed, thinking, ’Really, Cassandra, your daughter is just like you.’

Remembering that woman, her face formed a smile that was more like a smirk, ’Guess I have to settle my losses through your daughter’

All her memories of facing trouble due to Cassandra resurfaced—the same shrewd nature and her ability «Foresight» similar to Thalia’s Intuition, showed the resemblance between Thalia and her mother.

"Oh my, you can call me that, though you have to promise to always call me Mother from now on," 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Thalia hearing her words become more confused as she just wanted to secure her place beside Zeph, through creating a way to visit Hedrian Kingdom, on pretext of meeting her new Mother, but now, she couldn’t believe Deventhia’s sudden words.

Her ability couldn’t sense anything from Deventhia, making it hard to see through any hidden intentions behind Deventhia’s such generosity.

Though, it was more like, her Intuition, was not able to detect anything from her at all.

Deventhia, the Strongest Illusionist in the history of Whole three realms, had an impenetrable mind—her passive ability blocked anything up to Level 4, making her formidable.

{A/n: Check Character details to see Levels of Ability, heroines possesses}

"Fufu~, what’s with that face, my dear Daughter?" Thalia, thinking about her ability not working on Deventhia, snapped back to reality, looking at the woman before turning her eyes to Banzihum.

Both women forgot about the two men standing like stone figurines, lost in their own worlds, completely in Deventhia’s hands.

"Ugh!"

"Zeph! What’s happening to him?", Thalia turned towards Deventhia, noticing sweat forming on Zeph’s face as he shivered, bewildered by his state.

"Oh, it’s nothing. Want to see?" Deventhia narrowed her eyes, looking towards Thalia, who swiftly nodded and focused on Banzihum as her intuition sensed something about him.

"But can I take that thing he has?", Hearing Thalia’s request and seeing her gaze fixed on Banzihum, a knowing smile formed on Deventhia’s face,’Will you look at this’.

She, too, had noticed an artifact in Banzihum’s possession from Sanctum’s Third Floor. What she found amusing was Thalia’s demand for it, ’Just like her mother. Very greedy.’

Deventhia chuckled, remembering all those quests she had done with Cassandra, being the most greedy in the group, taking everything, even not leaving enemies they dealt with, giving Cassandra the title of — Greed

"Okay, you can have it."

With a movement of Deventhia’s hands, a green feather, shining with an ethereal glow, left Banzihum’s body and made its way towards Thalia.

She was perplexed as the emerald-shining feather entered her body.

A green light shone into her teary emerald eyes, enhancing their shine. Her delicate fingers caressed her eyelids as she felt a soothing warmth within.

"Do you want to know artifact’s use?" Deventhia asked, smiling, causing Thalia to realize her priorities.

She shook her head, turning towards Zeph,"No, first let me see how he is."

"Calm down, you can see everything from the start, as even time is—"

"No! I want to see if he is fine right now."

She wanted to assure Thalia about having full control over Illusion but was interrupted by her.

Deventhia didn’t care much about missing any scenes because she herself wanted to see inside Zeph’s brain, but was bound due to protection he had by someone known as the Strongest existence in this world — Evangeline Tenebri

However, right now, she could do whatever she wanted in the name of saving him, even seeing all his memories.

Her eyes lit up with the possibility she could see inside Zeph, but she sighed. She knew if she found something not in Zeph’s favor while searching his brain, her niece would hate her, as would her newfound daughter, both seemingly more interested in him than her.

Observing Zeph, Deventhia knew he was overly cautious about others, displaying a typical approach. Trying to engage in conversation or activities on pretext of some excuse with some popular girls was possible to go unnoticed by others, but not by her.

And right now, she could at least do her part as a guardian by removing the small barrier he had to not open his heart to others by a small life-turning event.

"Let’s enter his brain. I have the power to do so, but you need to be physically in contact to enter his brain," Deventhia stated with a stoic face.

" R-really?"

Not much hard for Thalia to understand Deventhia’s intentions, but she also wanted to go with the flow. Taking a small glance, her eyes fell on Zeph’s lips.

GULP

"Fufu~, you pervert," hearing Deventhia’s remark, Thalia’s face turned crimson red as she swiftly moved towards Zeph.

Now that she had been caught, she would just see it through to the end.

HUSH

Before her lips met his, she disappeared with Deventhia, leaving only two people standing in the middle of the garden shrouded by an Illusion barrier made by Deventhia herself, far stronger for anyone to see through in the academy except for the Director himself.

"Pfftt, you look like a fish," hearing Deventhia’s words, Thalia’s eyes snapped open.

She wanted to say something but witnessing the same events happening again — Zeph standing and accepting her proposal to reject the engagement , hurt her once more.

’I shouldn’t have said that,’ she thought, clutching her dress.

She found herself once again in the same regretful situation where she could have lived in an illusion where Zeph loved her, even if only on the outside.

But now, everything seemed broken.

"You did the right thing or do you want to spoil him more than he is now?" Hearing Deventhia’s words, she turned towards her, not understanding what she meant.

"I don’t—"

"Thalia!"

Those words tore through her dilemma as she swiftly turned towards a figure like her falling to the ground with a wound.

It made her realize what could have happened to her without the presence of Deventhia.

She looked downward; even witnessing all this, somehow she didn’t feel anything bad—she was just happy she could have protected him.

"T-Thalia, hey, I-I was kidding, I will not leave you, w-wake up."

Hearing that voice filled with pain, her eyes swiftly turned towards Zeph. They reflected him kneeling, hugging a figure.

What made her heart turmoil was a tear falling from his eyes.

Even after battling a dragon and facing numerous difficulties, she never saw a tear from those golden orbs. But today, "Zeph!"

Seeing that small drop, it felt like her heart tore a hundred times as she sprinted towards him.

Yet, as her hands reached his figure, she passed through it and fell to the ground. "W-what!?"

"Oh, you can’t disturb him like that, Thalia," Deventhia stood there, folding her hands, calmly looking towards Zeph, a smile forming on her face.

This made Thalia realize the reason behind her sudden situation. "No, Professor, stop it!"

It didn’t take much time for her to understand what was about to happen.

Although she wanted to see his reaction after her demise , but definitely not at the cost of leaving him in a broken state.

That small tear was far more than enough to reveal his love for her— a woman’s thousand tears are equals to a man’s single drop, proving the care he holds for his beloved

{A/n: Hope readers won’t be offended; it’s just my perspective on how men often hold themselves in various situations, appearing strong and firm. So, a tear might signify a lot. Apologies for any narrow-mindedness}

"You can try yourself," Deventhia’s words shocked Thalia, who was already attempting to hug Zeph, lost in his own world, gazing at a false image of her.

Suddenly, Thalia saw Banzihum approaching Zeph. She knew it was all an illusion, confirmed by her intuition.

However, she still wanted to bring Zeph back from it. Opening her hands in a gesture to halt Banzihum’s advance, she pleaded, "No, stop, don’t hurt him, Professor, please stop I—"

Banzihum passed through her body, making her repeat all those futile struggle to stop him, once again.

"No one can take her away"

Those words drew her attention towards them. Turning towards Zeph, she saw him firmly holding Banzihum’s hands.

"Zeph, leave her, she’s not real."

It was all an illusion, and Thalia knew it. Yet, she couldn’t help but believe it was all real—more real than reality itself.

The sound of the wind, the scent, the sky, the heartbeat and even sound of their breathing—everything felt more vivid, as if it were a different world.

It was the world of Deventhia Corlos Hedrian.

to be continued...