“I wish I’ve participated with the fight”, Meriane sighed approaching Alisa beside two tombstones under a tree a top of the hill close to the town.

“That’s fine, you’ve lost your ability after the contract was dissolve right?”

“I know, but haven’t you had enough weeping already? It’s been 2 months you know…”

“Said the one who’s also a regular visitor”, Alisa laughed, “So, you’re not going back to Algernon? Hunter and Anton are already back on their jobs right? Especially Anton, this will be a big change for him”

“They did and hunter keeps babbling about how they have a duty to fulfill. It’s been weeks, right? Do you think they’ll manage to keep Gregoria in order? And besides that, don’t you think he looked more cheerful when they left, as if the burden he was carrying had been lifted?”, Meriane replied.

“That’s because I forgave him already”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I forgave you didn’t I, of course I can forgive him too, and Nicolas would probably do the same thing. Besides, if it weren’t for him the explosion might have killed us all… but how about you? I’m repeating myself but aren’t you returning to Algernon?”

“Are you asking me to leave?”, Meriane pouted and crossed her arms before laughing, “Jokes aside, I can’t really return there, traitors does not deserve to step back on their homeland after all”, she paused and placed the flower she brought over the graves, “Did Matthew really said that though?”, she asked.

“You’ve been asking that every day for the past months, and for the 50th time, yes”, Alisa replied.

“That bastard”, Meriane she shrugged her head, “Like Nicolas, he was cold and quiet. The only difference is that he never tried to get rid of me when times I ran my mouth”

“Realizing things when it’s too late, that’s kind of their thing”, Alisa laughed.

“Yeah, it is. Anyway, there’s someone who wants to have a word with you”

“Who?”

“Her…”, Meriane pointed at Alisa’s back.

She turned around to find a familiar face, “Nice to see you doing well, Alisa”, the woman said as they finally met eye to eye. Before Alisa could even say a word, she’s already running towards her embrace.

“With your mother here, we’re finally complete”, Alvor cried, hugging them both with his remaining arm.

Meriane felt a small pinch in her chest, “It must be nice to still have a family. Too bad I mindlessly killed mine”, she uttered, pitying herself.

“What are you talking about, you never really killed anyone do you. So much for that I don’t lie phrase that you kept repeating”, Alisa called her as she started walking away. “You still have Selene and besides, whether you like it or not, you’re now my sister”, Alisa pulled her to in.

“Did you hear that Elisa, we now have two daughters”, Alvor celebrated.

“I agree”, Elisa smiled as they all grouped for a hug, “Two lovely, but deadly daughters. It’s just sad that we’re gonna need to say goodbye to our sons soon”, she raised her hand and waved at their two approaching visitors.

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“It’s not like we’re gonna leave this second, Mrs. Valorona”

Elisa’s face turned sour before looking at the graves, “Has your son always been this dense, Natalia? He even have Frederick beat by ten folds”

Matthew could only sigh in disappointment as he explained what’s going on to his brother. After a minute or so, he finally realized what the former Head Maid meant.

“Wha—”, his eyes went wide as his face turned beat red, “I— I could not possibly call you that”

“Look at him get flustered”, Matthew laughed at him under the shade of the trees, “This is a rare sight so you better savor his face before it turns back to the old stern look. It was already a miracle that Liam let us go, you should be honest with yourself more, Nicolas”

“Stop teasing him already”, Alisa came to his rescue, finding him adorable as he desperately tried to avoid their gazes.

“But son—”, said Alvor that draw Nicolas’s eyes, “Are you really sure you no longer want to hold your title?”

Nicolas look at him dead in the eyes, “I’ve already given it a thought. Ever since I’ve regained the entirety of my memories, it had always lingered in my mind. I never got the chance to worry about the future, we we’re so focused on how to survive that we never got to think about what we want to do with our lives, but now, thanks to all of you, I’ve finally found the thing I want to do”

Matthew nodded at him with a smile, “Being a King would have it quirks but I’ve already made up my mind to cherish this new life together with the ones I love. I want to see the world, experience the things that I never got to see, feel emotions that I have never felt before”

Alvor could not see any hesitation in their eyes, “Very well then, when will you depart?”

Nicolas took one last glance at Matthew as they both nodded at each other, “A month from now, until the coronation of Anton and Selene”

“I—In a month? How long will you be gone?”, Alisa and Meriane cried.

“Two or Three years or so, maybe more. We’ll be back before you knew it”

Alvor’s faced turned serious, “I can’t allow that”

“But—”, the boys uttered in unison when the man began to smile again,

“I can’t allow that if you can’t promise us that you’ll be safe. You might have your abilities to depend on but as you said, they’re not as strong as before. I will only permit you to go if you can promise us that you’ll be back in one piece”

Nicolas and Matthew happily kneeled down, their right hands to their left chest as they bowed, “We promise that we’ll be back in one piece…”

“Father, call me that from now on. That’s an order”

They we’re both flushed, “We—promise that we’ll be back in one piece, f—father”

Alvor rejoiced, patting them on their backs as he burst in laughter. At last he’s long dream of having sons have been fulfilled, but he’s not stopping there.

“Now sons, when you finally get back. I want ten grandchildren”

“WHA— HUH?”

“What? That wouldn’t be a problem, five from Nicolas and Alisa, five from Matthew and Meriane, we’ll be a one big happy family in no time”, Alvor’s laughed was complimented by Elisa’s controlled giggles as the four turned red.

Watching them, Alisa could only give thanks to Shaine and Liam. If not for them, Nicolas and Matthew’s soul would have already merged back together and them existing as separate entities would never have been possible. With the help of everyone that have ever loved and cherished the existence called Nicolas and Matthew, the versions that made them who they are was what made them whole again.

The boys knew that life would never be easy and making them a separate existence from Liam would mean that this life would be the last time they’ll be born twins and have access to their past lives and memories, but this is what they chose, even if it might bring them misery.

“Look at Matthew and Meriane, they looked happier than the King and Queen”, Alisa leaned his head against Nicolas as they watched the happy smiles of Anton and Selene from the top of the castle.

“Give my brother a break, will you, after all he’s been through he deserves every second of it”, Nicolas laughed, leaning his head onto Alisa’s.

“Hey Nicolas”

“Hmm?”

“Will you find me again in the next life?”

“That again, we’re not gonna die anytime soon, and even if we did you could always count on me. I will always find you no matter what, and I will do that over and over again”

“Life is a one big box of suffering, it’s suffocating. It’s just up to you whether to cry over it or to accept that fact and look for another angle to be happy”, Alisa did not understand the statement Nicolas said at that time, but now it’s as clear as day, and it will forever be in her mind and soul until they move on to the flow of life.

The End