Chapter 22 – The Guardian Phoenix Evolves

"Screw our aching hearts. We made the best decision in this chaotic situation. Let me tell you something I realized long before we sent that document. The truth is, I would have arranged this engagement even if we weren't in this situation," she said, staring at me with narrowed eyes.

"Don't even think about judging me. You would have concluded the same thing. Would you want to offer our children as commodities to whoever had the most money and wanted to buy them? I couldn't bear to see my daughter desired in that way. Do you know what happens when nobility has an arranged engagement? On the girl's coming-of-age birthday, she must consummate the act with her fiancé to become an adult. But here, she will have the freedom to choose when she is ready to become a woman. We won't need to rush anything. As for the boys... you know what happens. Nathan would either marry a young girl if he was lucky or an old hag if the situation worsened and the Wolves took over without deciding to kill him. He would face the same thing as my daughter, forced to grow up quickly because he is a man. If his fiancée were an adult, he would be forced to become an adult too... you understand me," she said.

Listening to her words filled me with rage at the mere thought of such a situation.

"I'm talking about a scenario where we would have to yield to the nobility due to this crisis. They are already seen as livestock for reproduction and generating heirs. Now we hold the key to their innocence. Everything will happen naturally when they decide it's time," she said, holding my hand and looking into my eyes.

"I feel terrible for what we've done, but if that had to happen, I would feel even worse and perhaps wouldn't be able to bear it..." I said.

"Now you understand? This is the best outcome. Our decision protected our children from vultures. We may have taken away their choice, but that doesn't mean there's no room for true love. Just as I fell in love in this place, they can too. After this bitter blow of losing our loved ones... these two represent our future. They are the future of the Evenhart family and will bring joy back to this place. I can already imagine this place filled with my grandchildren," she said, laughing.

I looked at her with a goofy expression. Outside that throne, when no one else was around, she returned to being my simple friend. The price of sitting on that chair is high, and she needs to be someone who makes tough decisions, especially in this crisis.

"For now, let's focus on raising our children... we can think about grandchildren later," I said to her.

She laughed and turned back to the empty wall.

"There is a tradition that every Evenhart on the throne must have a portrait with their family. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to get a portrait with Erich and Ethan, but soon... we will have a portrait with Nathan and Chloe," she said.

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Nathan Evenhart:

"That idiot!" I said, storming back to my room.

"The brat tricked me! That water is always cold! It never gets warm even if we keep moving; it always adapts and stays cold. Her mother enchanted it to stay that way!" I said, wrapping myself in a towel.

I was feeling incredibly cold and wrapped the towel around myself for warmth.

"Stop whining. Didn't you once invade the realm of the dead? That place was truly cold," Athena said.

"Then why are you under this blanket too?" I questioned her.

She clicked her tongue.

"That's beside the point..." she replied, turning her face away in embarrassment.

Ignoring the goddess, I had to deal with the creature scolding me in its strange language.

'Squak!' 'Squaaak!'

"No one told you to sleep there. I ended up leaving. At least I left the door open so you wouldn't feel trapped," I said, wrapping myself tighter in the towel to warm up.

"That little brat... she threw me into cold water..." I murmured.

The little phoenix flew and sat on my lap.

I was about to complain, but I realized she was quite warm.

"Sorry, but now I'm going to use you to warm up," I said, hugging the small phoenix.

'Squawk!' she protested, but I kept hugging her.

"No one told you to be so warm."

The phoenix struggled a bit but then settled down.

If Cerberus saw this, he'd be jealous...

I glanced to the side and confirmed that the crazy goddess had disappeared, feeling more at ease. I still wasn't used to seeing and talking to my former archenemy, the one I moved heaven and earth to kill and caused a war that sank continents.

"The damn goddess still follows me, no matter what life I choose to live..."

At least she's just some kind of ghost I'm seeing. If she thinks she can haunt me, she'll be wasting her time. I've faced many dangerous creatures and gotten used to it.

I sighed.

But no creature was as dangerous or terrifying as the Goddess of Strategy...

I let thoughts of my old life fade away; I had decided to live a new life and didn't need to keep recalling my past.

Holding the phoenix, I looked into her eyes. She tilted her head slightly.

"If you're going to stay, would you like a name?"

She looked at me strangely for a moment and then nodded.

"I'm not good with names... but there's one name that's very special to me. Can I give it to you?"

She nodded again.

"Then I'll call you Cylla. It was the name of an ancient city where a powerful general was born... a man who changed the world and even killed gods. So I want to give you the name of his city," I told the phoenix.

It was the city where I was born and where I died...

As soon as I said that, the phoenix began to glow and get hot. I reflexively let go, and she was shining brightly.

"What's happening?" I asked as her glow intensified.

I had to close my eyes and shield my face as my entire room was filled with light, and all I could hear was the sound of the phoenix.

"What are you doing?" I tried to ask, but the light and sound grew stronger until suddenly, heat surged like my room was turning into a sauna. The light became so intense that even with my eyes closed, I could see it. I turned away, and then a sound like an explosion occurred, sending my furniture flying and slamming against the walls.

The whole place shook, and I heard things crashing.

The light vanished, but I still couldn't open my eyes due to the brightness. When I finally managed to open them...

"You burned my entire room! I'm in so much trouble..."

Everything was charred from the floor to the walls and ceiling. The remaining furniture was on fire. I had to run around, using a sheet to prevent the flames from spreading.

"My mom turns into a monster when she's angry... I'm so screwed," I muttered, trying to put out the fire.

The little phoenix appeared in front of me.

"You caused all this..." I tried to say, but then I noticed something different about her.

"Did you get bigger?" I asked, surprised.

The small phoenix had indeed grown into a true phoenix.