Rin stood panting, eyes fixed on the pile of dead beasts before them. The creatures resembled wild boars, but they were larger—clearly a different, more feral breed.
"Thank God it's over," Ineah muttered, sinking to the bloodstained ground. Their clothes and skin were splattered with blood, the aftermath of a brutal battle.
From inside the carriage, Tohru cautiously stepped out. His brothers had told him to stay hidden to shield him from the sight of blood—if Tohru lost control, the situation could have turned far worse. He avoided looking at the blood splattered on the ground and on his brothers.
"This is exhausting," Kasey said, collapsing beside Ineah. "Fighting beasts in this world is way more draining than our missions back home."
Shuu glanced toward TJ. "You surprised us," he said.
The others turned to look at TJ as well. Earlier, during the chaos of battle, he hadn't been able to sit still in the carriage. Watching the monstrous beasts attack his brothers had been unbearable—so he jumped in to help. His sudden appearance in the middle of the fight had startled everyone, but they'd saved their questions for later, focusing instead on survival.
Now, the tension eased, they surrounded their eldest brother in a tight embrace.
"How did you even get here?" Rin asked.
"I hitched a ride in one of your carriages," TJ admitted. "I saw you at the border and secretly climbed aboard after you left the empire. I planned to reveal myself once you reached your destination."
"I'm just glad you're safe," Hajee said, visibly relieved.
"Where were you before you saw us at the border?" Imman asked.
"I ended up in a ruined mansion in the south," TJ explained. "I stayed there overnight and met someone who helped me get to the border. He told me everything about the war."
"Yeah," Kiko said solemnly. "The Serolf Empire is in the middle of a war. That's why we left—to find a safer place, far from the empire."
"Where are you heading now?" TJ asked.
"To Apomon," Hajee replied. "It's a distant land, far beyond the empire's reach."
"Now that big brother TJ is here," Tohru said with a smile, "the only ones left to find are Maikell, Thane, and Izak."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"But… there's something you need to know," TJ said, his tone suddenly serious. He glanced at Ran.
Ran quickly averted his gaze, jaw tightening.
"Tch."
"What is it?" Kiko asked, sensing the shift in atmosphere.
TJ walked over to the third carriage and pulled Jinny out by the arm.
"W-What are you doing?" Jinny said, struggling to break free.
Everyone's eyes widened in surprise.
"Y-You?" Harusheen said, stunned.
Shuu smirked. "Wow, you're here too? Since when?" he asked, giving her a mocking look.
"How did you end up here?" Kiko asked, confused.
Rin sighed. It's true—no secret stays hidden forever.
"Why don't you ask Ran?" TJ said, his gaze locked on Ran.
All eyes turned toward Ran.
"What does he mean, Ran?" Ineah asked, voice cautious.
Ran clenched his fists. "Tsk. I saw her at the imperial palace. She was working as a maid, serving the emperor. I decided to bring her with us. She's our adopted sister—our mother would be furious if she found out we left her behind in this world."
"So all this time... you were in the palace?" Harusheen asked.
Jinny gave a small nod.
"But how did you end up here? We don't remember seeing you when we were standing around the painting," Kasey said.
"I saw you all from the hallway, staring at the painting. I hid and watched from a distance... then suddenly, a light appeared and pulled you in—along with me," Jinny explained.
"You were spying on us?" Shuu said with a teasing grin.
"No, I wasn't!" Jinny shot back.
"Tch. Ran should've left you there. We don't need you in our lives," Tohru snapped and stormed off, disappearing into the carriage.
Jinny bit her lower lip, clutching the fabric of her skirt tightly. Among all the brothers, Tohru was the one who despised her the most.
"We don't have a choice now. She's already here, and we can't just abandon her in the forest," Rin said, then turned toward the tents. "I don't want to be hated by our mom."
"He's right," Ineah added. "She has to come with us."
"She's just a burden," Harusheen muttered, heading to the tent as well.
"As if we have a choice," Hajee said, following behind him.
"Just don't be a burden," Ineah said. "If you can manage that, we won't have any problems during the journey."
Jinny nodded. "I will."
TJ gave Ran a meaningful look before heading back to the carriage. The rest of the group followed, retreating to their tents for the night.
Shuu lingered for a moment, slinging an arm over Jinny's shoulders. "Don't worry. You can always entertain us when we're bored," he teased, winking before striding off after his brothers.
Ran let out a frustrated sigh. He leaned in close and whispered to Jinny, "Keep our secret. No one can know about the baby."
Jinny's face went pale. "Y-Yes…"
"Good. Now go back to your carriage and rest," Ran said, before disappearing into his tent.
Jinny did as she was told, quietly climbing into the carriage. TJ was already asleep inside, his breathing steady.
Under the full moon, deep in the forest, the group finally succumbed to exhaustion, their bodies weary from the earlier battle with the wild beasts.
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At the Kingdom of Montclairs...
Velnias was elated upon hearing the news of their victory against the Firenzans.
"Our next target will be the Targaryens. Rameses, you'll go with Maikell and Thane this time," Velnias commanded.
"As you wish, Your Majesty," Rameses replied, bowing deeply.
"By the way, where is Jacques?" Velnias asked, glancing around.
"He went straight to Sir Jean's laboratory, dragging along their new test subjects," Maikell explained, still kneeling.
"Those two have grown closer than I expected. I never thought Jacques would take an interest in Jean's twisted experiments," Velnias remarked.
"Jacques has also been helping Jean and has proclaimed himself his apprentice. He said killing with monsters is more entertaining than using blades. I heard they're planning to experiment on the captured Firenzans and turn them into mutants," Rameses said.
Velnias let out a booming laugh. "Hahaha! Those two truly are amusing."
But his amusement faded as he returned to more pressing matters. "Depart tomorrow—and bring me the head of the Targaryen King."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Rameses, Maikell, and Thane said in unison, bowing before exiting the throne room.
As they stepped out, Rameses veered off in the opposite direction. He had never trusted Maikell and Thane since their arrival at the palace. Something about them unsettled him—their mannerisms, their aura. Too secretive, too composed. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were hiding something.
He made his way to Jean's laboratory, where he found Jacques gleefully chopping off the hand of a Firenzan prisoner.
"Hey, Ram! Here to help?" Jacques called out, not even looking up as he continued his gruesome task.
"No. I just came to check on you," Rameses replied, glancing around the laboratory, his expression unreadable.
He rarely visited Jean's lab. The place reeked of chemicals and cruelty, filled with grotesque contraptions and inhuman specimens.
"My latest creation was a success," Jean said proudly, pouring strange, glowing liquids into a flask. "It was a wise decision to give it to Jacques as a pet."
"I heard what it did to the Firenzans," Rameses said. "You've created a real weapon this time."
"A great one, right?" Jean smirked.
"Any news about the Emperor of Serolf?" Rameses asked, folding his arms.
"No idea," Jean said with a wicked grin. "But with the curse I placed on him, his body should be deteriorating by now. It won't be long before he dies."
Rameses nodded, then stood silently for a moment, watching the two madmen at work.
He couldn't help but wonder what really went on in the minds of these maniacs.
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At the prison dungeon...
Izak struggled against the heavy chains binding him. His muscles tensed with effort, veins bulging as he fought to break free. He panted heavily, taking a brief moment to catch his breath before throwing himself at the task again.
Across the dimly lit cell, Charmagne watched him intently. He was struck by Izak's relentless determination. Despite the odds, he hadn't given up—not even for a moment. But those chains were forged to hold monsters. They weren't meant to be broken by ordinary strength.
"AAAHHHHHH!!!" Izak roared, yanking with everything he had.
Charmagne's eyes widened in shock as he noticed a small crack forming in the stone wall where the chain was anchored.
He blinked, hardly believing what he was seeing.
The crack was growing.
He's actually doing it, Charmagne thought. He's breaking the wall itself...
He stared in awe. Izak's body wasn't just strong—it was inhumanly powerful.
With one final surge of strength and a primal scream, Izak tore the chain binding his right arm. The chain snapped from the wall with a loud, echoing crack.
Charmagne's lips curved into a hopeful smile.
For the first time in days, he saw a glimmer of hope.