It has been a week since the conflict between the Sylphs and the Nirvanians ended. In the past week, Kai and his teammates had been assisting Green King Warren in distributing the cure to the afflicted Sylphs, aiding their recovery.

As the Sylphs were too busy dealing with the resolution of the epidemic that had struck their country, Kai didn't have time to have a good chat with his mother who was in charge of coordinating domestic affairs as Sylph King Azir was recuperating.

Even though it was a pity that Kai couldn't spend some meaningful time with his mother, whom he had so many questions to ask of, it wasn't that bad as he spent a lot of time with his girlfriend Adeline instead.

The pair finally could let their hair down after they successfully prevented the Sylph-Nirvanian conflict from escalating, and upon hearing that her father was on the road to recovery, Adeline even gave Kai a thank you kiss, causing the teenage boy to blush furiously much to the chagrin of his other teammates.

In their free time when they were not busy distributing the cure, Adeline took Kai out for some sightseeing, passionately introducing the places of interest in the Sylph Capital as they munched on scrumptious local delicacies. Through these visits, Kai began to learn more about the Sylph way of life, how they believed they are one with nature and thus, have the responsibility to take care of the trees that grew within their territory, giving their cities a very 'green' feel.

Kai felt at peace living within Eren, as he realised that the 2 Capitals he had resided in his life were both good in their own way. While Nirvana was bustling with activity and entertainment all day long, Eren gave a sense of serenity, its slow pace of life comforting to souls burdened with a hectic lifestyle.

Today was the day that Kai was eagerly waiting for, because apart from meeting Adeline's family (King Azir was very interested to know who Adeline's romantic partner was), he would finally gain an audience with his mother, Princess Charissa, whom he had not seen for a staggering seven years. Worse still, Kai berated himself for thinking that she was dead all this while, subsequently conveying such a misunderstanding to Yuri and his father, Arkad.

Speaking of Arkad, Kai had gotten a little worried as it's been over 2 months since he last communicated with his father. Kai was worried about Yuri too of course, but he was even more worried about his father, who he knew had fought in the defence of Nirvana in the war that concluded recently.

Putting aside his concerns as he didn't want to show it on his face for fear that Adeline would notice it, Kai tried to look his best and give the most joyful expression he could muster. He was meeting Adeline's family after all, not to mention that they were royalty with far more important status than him.

Upon reaching the dining hall, which was decorated to give a natural yet grandiose feel with the careful selection of plants and flowers to decorate the walls and ceiling, Kai came face to face with 3 men seating around a rectangular dining table meant for six.

On the left side of the table sat firstly, Crown Prince Aeris who Kai had recognised from the battlefield a week ago, though he was looking more refined and less intimidating than he was then.

Seating to his right was another man, who was about the same height as Aeris but was of much slender build. He gave Kai the impression that he was a scholar, especially with those horn-rimmed spectacles he wore.

Finally, the man seating at the head of the table was a middle-aged man who grew a moustache but kept his chin cleanly shaved. The man was well built like Aeris, and Kai felt a sense of wisdom emanating from the man, which Kai believed most probably came from his several years of experience.

Adeline was first to speak, as she bowed gracefully, Kai following suit. She said, "Father, I apologise for keeping you waiting. This is my boyfriend, Kai. Kai, going anticlockwise round the table, the respectful gentleman seating at the head of the table is my father, Sylph King Azir.

The charming young man seating to his right is my eldest brother, Crown Prince Aeris. Finally, the well-refined man seating to the right of Big Brother Aeris is my 2nd brother, 2nd Prince Abel. I'm the youngest of the family, so I'm basically treated like a precious diamond amidst these 3 men, teehee."

King Azir immediately burst out laughing, instantly melting any tension in the room, "Hahaha! You're my precious little one of course! I've been waiting for your return for over a year, so what's a few minutes? Come, sit down my dear daughter! Kai, you too, make yourself at home, we've much to talk about!"

Adeline and Kai quickly took their seats, with Adeline sitting next to her father and Kai sitting opposite Prince Abel. Crown Prince Aeris smiled brightly at Adeline as she sat, but gave a begrudging nod to acknowledge Kai's participation in their family meal.

On the other hand, immediately after Kai had sat down, 2nd Prince Abel immediately extended his right hand in a warm handshake, speaking with an affable grin, "Greetings, Kai, I believe this is how humans introduce themselves in a cordial manner. I'm 2nd Prince Abel, but do just call me Abel, I'm not particular about honorific. If you're interested, the way we Sylphs introduce ourselves is to place our right palm on the centre of our chest and bow, before speaking our name."

Kai immediately reciprocated the handshake before performing the gesture taught to him by Abel, speaking politely, "I'm Kai, it's my pleasure and honour to be here today amidst your family gathering."

King Azir remarked jokingly, "Wow, you got a pretty well-mannered smooth talker as a boyfriend, Adeline! While we're waiting for our last guest, Kai, why don't you share your side of the story, how you've met Adeline and how your relationship had progressed all the way till today? The romance stories of youngsters never cease to amaze me regardless of generation, not to mention an inter-racial relationship, hahaha!"

Adeline pouted, "Father!" before blushing furiously. Kai felt heavily embarrassed as well, but on the nudging of Abel and King Azir, Kai finally relented and shared his entire journey with Adeline, how they'd first met, school life together, being taught by the same master, Ray, a member of the 10 Saints and the several life and death challenges they've survived together.

This included their first extermination request, their clash with Jaeger, the Night Wing Incursion of their school, the ambush by the Metal Skull gang and most recently, their fight against the upper echelons of the Chaos Legion. Of course, Kai had purposely left out the instances where he had lost control, for fear that King Azir would reject him if he had revealed any of his misdemeanours.

During the sharing, Crown Prince Aeris appeared bored and disinterested, occasionally flashing some gestures of disapproval when Kai shared some intimate moments with Adeline. Abel listened on intently, fascinated with the adventures the pair had gone together. King Azir too was immersed in the stories, occasionally laughing when Kai shared some light moments he had with Adeline.

As the conversation drew on, it was only after 30 minutes that Kai realised that the last guest had yet to arrive. Kai quickly enquired, "Your Highness, may I enquire who's the last guest we're waiting for?"

King Azir replied, "Ah, I must have lost track of time as well, the last person we're waiting for is my sister, Charissa, and your…mother, Kai. Speak of the devil, she's here. You look stunning, my dear sister."

Princess Charissa wore a tight fitting dress as she strutted in confidently, replying, "Why, thank you, brother. I shall take my seat." After sitting down, King Azir remarked, "You missed all the sharing, Charissa! You should have heard of your son's escapades with my daughter, hahaha, they make such a cute couple!"

Both Adeline and Kai turned red immediately upon hearing King Azir's remark, to which Charissa replied, "Glad it entertained you, my dearest brother. It's important to be stress-free for a quicker recovery after all."

King Azir replied boldly, "You're right! My body's feeling like the good old days already thanks to the cure these two have painstakingly brought for me. I thank you once again for your assistance, my precious little girl and Kai. Just in time, the food's here. Come, everybody, tuck in! Especially you, Kai, don't be shy and eat your fill!"

Kai respectfully bowed as the 6 of them began eating their lunch, none more voracious than the pair who had been surviving on limited combat rations in their journey to the Sylph Kingdom. Princess Charissa commented, "Wow, slow down, my dear boy! This makes me wonder how much hardship you've went through, my poor boy! Come, eat more."

Kai could only nod in appreciation as Charissa scooped more dishes for him, much to the displeasure of Crown Prince Aeris, who was nudged by his father, who silently warned him to keep his expression in check.

After lunch was finally completed, Charissa said, "That was a good meal, did you enjoy the food, Kai?" Kai nodded and smiled brightly, before Charissa turned to face King Azir, "Brother, do you mind if I take both Kai and Adeline to my quarters, I've got something serious to share with them."

King Azir expressed his understanding with a gentle smile as he replied, "Go ahead, the 3 of you can take your leave first." Charissa bowed and the pair followed suit as all 3 left the dining hall. Unable to suppress his resentment any further, Crown Prince Aeris snapped, "Father, why did you keep Aunt Charissa's bastard a secret from us? Are you really going to approve of their relationship just because the boy is Aunt's son?"

King Azir gave off a slight snicker before replying, "On the contrary, if Kai was really Charissa's son, I would not have let him anywhere near my daughter, for I don't approve of relationships between cousins. However, this does not mean that Charissa wasn't in a relationship with a human, and doesn't mean that I'm against inter-racial relationships.

In fact, you could say that I'm pretty idealistic, for I believe that true love cannot and should not be hindered just because of race. Hence, so long as that boy Kai cherishes and protects my dear daughter, I'm totally willing to let them be together.

Sometimes, I actually feel extremely sorry for my sister, having forced her to return just because I badly needed her help in a vision I saw then. When the time is right, I'll let her go back to see her husband and daughter."

Meanwhile, Kai and Adeline were awed by the size of Princess Charissa's quarters, which was rather luxurious and comfortable at the same time. To Kai's surprise, he found Red King Redmond already seated at the sofa for quite some time. Redmond remarked impatiently, "You guys are finally back! What important news do you have to make me wait for so long, damn it!"

Princess Charissa and the pair quickly took their seats near Redmond and Charissa drew a deep breath before continuing, "I'm sorry for the wait, Redmond, but putting that aside, the information that I'm going to present may be a little astonishing and unbelievable, but promise me that you all would hear it to the end and trust me. Can that be done?"

Kai nodded without hesitation while Redmond nodded begrudgingly. Charissa then continued, "Kai, the truth is…I'm not your biological mother. Arkad is not your biological father as well. However, Arkad is my husband and Yuri, your sister, is my daughter."

Kai and Adeline were both stumped upon the sudden revelation, before Kai struggled to ask, "Then, who're my…biological parents?" Tears were already glistening in Charissa's eyes as she wrapped her arms around Kai, embracing him in a tight hug before whispering softly, "Before I reveal your biological parents, I want you to know that regardless of whether you are our biological son or not, Arkad and I would never love you any less than Yuri.

You'll forever be our precious son, Kai. Now, your biological mother was a woman extremely close to my heart, she was my personal attendant and best friend, Kristin." Charissa stopped for a while to calm herself down, as her tear-filled eyes and red cheeks show how visibly distraught she was.

On the other hand, upon hearing the name 'Kristin', Redmond visibly tensed up, as he gave an expression of utter disbelief. Quickly regaining his composure, Redmond quickly grabbed Charissa by the shoulder, demanding, "When you say 'Kristin', do you mean the one I know, Charissa?"

Struggling to hold back her tears, Charissa weakly nodded before turning to Kai once more, "And your biological father is the only man Kristin had loved all her life, the half demon, Red King Redmond." Both Kai and Redmond stared at each other for what seemed to be eternity before reality caught up with them, with both collapsing onto their respective seats.

Kai was too stumped to say anything, while Redmond could only mutter, "It all makes sense now…the boy had inherited his Luminos from his mother, Kristin, and his Demonic Energy from me, a worthless lover and father! Argh! Why does fate play such tricks on me?" Adeline could only cover her mouth in horror at the sudden news before patting Kai on the back in an attempt to comfort him.

After forcing herself to calm down, Charissa said gently, "All of you, to understand the situation better in contrast to what you already know, two stories have to be told. The first, about Kristin, and the second, about me. You all will comprehend better once I finish both stories, so please stay with me as I bring you all back to the past, approximately 17 years ago…"

A Megalo stag was busy grazing on the luscious grass amidst the thick forest, preserved to its best by the Rangers of the Sylph Kingdom. After all, this particular area within the Forest of Pangaea was deemed sacred, since it was home to the majestic Megalo deer, whose bodies and antlers for the males were snow white in colour, coupled with their beautiful blue eyes.

The Megalo deer had been revered by the Sylphs as a sacred animal, since stories of ancient past recount how these animals were one of the first creations of the Goddess of Creation, Mother of Celestials, to grace this earth.

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The current Ranger on duty was a young, tomboyish looking Sylph named Kristin, with her short blue hair cut much like a boy. Kristin fingered her bow casually, as she admired the beauty of the forest and the life it supports. Today was just going to be another uneventful day, she thought, as she allowed herself to relax slightly.

Suddenly, a rustling sound snapped her out of her daze and she quickly glanced in its direction. She knew that there was no predators native to this area so if it was someone hostile, it was most likely an invader, which could spell trouble. Kristin slowly drew her arrow from her quiver as she prepared to engage with her target.

In an instant, a blurry figure pounced out of the bush onto the nearest Megalo stag, as the poor animal was swiftly brought down with a stab to the neck. The other Megalo deer immediately dispersed in fear, as Kristin slowly crept towards the figure, intending to ensure her kill.

As Kristin slowly stepped through the vegetation without making the slightest sound, she realised that the figure appeared human, yet exuded an aura like a wild beast. The figure had long, dishevelled hair with red streaks, and the clothing it wore was broken and tattered.

Inching towards the figure to get a closer look, Kristin realised that the figure was cutting up the Megalo stag for food! The figure appeared to be starving, as it merely shoved the raw meat into its mouth hurriedly.

After drawing back her bowstring with an arrow fitting nicely aligned with the head of her target, Kristin streamed some mana through the arrow before letting it loose, witnessing it whistle towards its target.

To her horror, the figure immediately turned around, chopping the arrow heading towards it with a knife coated with an aura that reeked of death. Now, Kristin got a good look at the figure's face. Though covered with smudge and blood, especially around his lips, Kristin's heart fluttered as she had never seen such exotic handsomeness in a member of the opposite sex. Especially those charming red eyes.

Kristin shook herself out of her daydream before declaring, "I'm Kristin, the Ranger responsible for protecting this sacred area of the Forest. Killing the sacred Megalo stag is a crime punishable by death, so accept your sentence with no resistance!"

Kristin quickly slung and let loose another arrow, enhancing its flight speed with mana. To her surprise, the figure simply dodged her arrow easily, but took no further action. Kristin then followed up with a flurry of arrows, even shooting 3 arrows at once, but the mysterious figure avoided them all.

Out of arrows and frustrated at her failure to bring down her target, which she would usually do so with ease as she was one of the best with the bow, Kristin drew her knife and shouted a war cry before charging towards her target. Coating her knife with black mana armament, she brandished her knife acrobatically, attempting to get at least a cut on her enemy.

After all, the hunting knife Kristin was wielding was laced with poison that could knock out even the largest of animals within minutes. Unfortunately, even with Kristin's dexterity, the figure could easily parry or deflect all her blows, though she noticed that his movements were becoming increasingly sluggish. Finally, when she saw an opportunity, Kristin swiped her dagger at the figure's cheek.

To Kristin's surprise, the figure grabbed her knife-wielding wrist before she could strike him and pounced onto her, pinning her onto the ground. The impact of the crash caused Kristin to loosen her grip on her knife, causing it to slide harmlessly away from her. Kristin was immobilised by the figure who had his entire body weight on her as he sought to restrain her.

After a moment of silence, the figure rasped, "I'm sorry for hunting your sacred animal, but I've been famished for days, not to mention I've been…" Before completing his statement, the figure collapsed onto Kristin, his body still on top of hers. Kristin's face turned crimson when she felt how warm and comfy his body was as she couldn't resist the urge to stroke his face.

Mustering her strength, Kristin pushed his body away before getting onto her feet and picking up her dagger which she dropped earlier. Just as Kristin was about to raise her dagger to stab him through the heart, Kristin felt something tug at her heart. Was it her conscience? Or was it something perhaps more inexplicable and crazy?

Deciding against taking his life since throughout their duel, he had not made an offensive move against her when he clearly had the upper hand, Kristin simply decided to take him as captive. Moving his body wasn't easy, not because she lacked the strength, but rather because she realised that he was actually ridden with several injuries, including one that looked rather bad on his abdomen since it was already festering.

Thus, she had to be extra cautious while transporting him to her place nearby, on one hand afraid to aggravate and open up his wounds and on the other, afraid that she would be caught by one of her brethren.

The next few days, as she was off duty, Kristin spent the time cleaning and dressing the man's wounds, using her limited expertise in healing magic and medical knowledge to nurse him back to health.

By the time he regained consciousness, he realised that he was lying on a bed, his wounds all largely patched up save the one on his abdomen, which had been properly bandaged nonetheless. He also noticed that his hair was cut short, before finally discovering that a young woman with pointed ears was dozing off at his bedside.

Weakly getting off the bed, he attempted to leave stealthily without alerting the woman but she soon stirred nonetheless, grabbing his arm as she said lethargically, "Is this how you repay your benefactor? Leaving without a word, not even a name? Where can you go from here?"

The man realised upon closer look that the woman was the one who attempted to kill him then when he was on the verge of dying in the forest. Apparently she changed her mind, nursing him back to health instead.

The man could only say shyly, "I'm Redmond. Why did you save me after what I've done?" The woman replied gently, "I'm Kristin and I didn't kill you because I know you're not a savage murderer that would threaten the peace and balance of the Sylph Kingdom. Even though it's a fact you killed a sacred animal, you only committed the act out of necessity and lack of knowledge, I'm sure Mother Nature would forgive you for your actions, just as how she pardons predators which hunt for food."

After clearing the misunderstanding between them, Kristin requested that Redmond stay a little while longer, at least till he was fully recovered. Redmond agreed after Kristin's persistence. Soon, days became weeks and Kristin's friends began to notice a change in her behaviour. Kristin was usually pretty sociable, but in the last few days, she had been rushing home a little too often. Some even noticed that she was in an unusually cheery mood.

Princess Charissa, who was her direct superior in the Rangers then, sought to investigate what was going on, as she smelled something fishy and grew worried for her best friend whom she knew since childhood. Thus, Charissa decided to 'abuse' her authority a little, by sending Kristin on an 'urgent' dispatch, so that she may be able to sneak into Kristin's place and find out what was hidden within.

When Kristin finally realised the truth from some well-meaning friends who conveyed Princess Charissa's true intentions, she rushed back home, hoping to stop the unruly princess in time. When she reached her doorstep, Kristin heard voices being exchanged, though she couldn't deduce the tone as they were muffled by the walls.

In her anxiety, Kristin disregarded any form of stealth as she pushed open the door, shouting, "Don't fight, you two, Princess Charissa, I can explain this…" To Kristin's surprise, the two were simply chatting amiably, as though they were old friends. When she realised that Kristin was back, Charissa turned and teased, "Kristin, why didn't you tell me you were hiding a human here? And a charming one at that! Teehee!"

Kristin blushed instantly but before she could reply, Redmond interrupted, "If it's truly an inconvenience for me to stay here for Kristin, I can leave, my injuries are largely recovered already." Kristin immediately cried, "No, I want you to stay!" before realising that she'd embarrassed herself in front of both her superior and Redmond, covering her face in shame thereafter as her face was flushed immensely.

Redmond was slightly embarrassed at Kristin's sudden response as Charissa teased both of them, "Hahaha, I can't separate you lovebirds, can I? Redmond, you better take care of my dear Kristin, she may look strong, but she's gentle and fragile deep inside. I'll keep your relationship and presence a secret from the rest, so don't worry!"

Thanks to Princess Charissa's influence, the romance between Kristin and Redmond were kept largely under wraps. Time flew past quickly and before the couple knew it, their relationship had grown stronger and more intimate over the months.

Finally, on one day, Kristin said shyly, "You know, Redmond, I got something important to share with you." Redmond replied grimly, "Me too, I've been thinking about this for the past week or so, but you go ahead first."

Kristin blushed as she held Redmond's hand tightly with both hands, "Redmond…I'm pregnant, 2 months to be precise. Princess Charissa knows about this and she has kindly removed me from active duty till the baby is born. Are you excited? We're going to be parents!"

Redmond's expression stiffened instantly upon hearing Kristin's revelation before he replied solemnly, "As much as I'm overjoyed about being a father in a few months' time, I believe this is the opportune time for me to come clean about my true identity. I'm actually not human, but rather, a half demon, with demonic blood running through my veins. Will you accept me as your husband knowing that I'm a monster?"

Kristin paused for a while to let the information sink in before replying with a smile, "I always knew there was something off about you, something not human. The first time we met, you were like a savage beast, and the aura you emanated was rampant and destructive. However, let me tell you something.

The father of my unborn child is NOT a monster, and you never will be, for I can sense that your aura, while wild, is under control. You show great compassion, which I have witnessed over the past few months, something ordinary demons wouldn't possess. Thus, I just beg you, stay with me to raise our child together, it doesn't matter what blood flows through yours or our child's veins."

Redmond was visibly touched by Kristin's words, but his expression remained serious as he added, "That's not all. I'm actually the leader of a half demon clan in the Northern Wildlands. Currently, there are many half demon clans like mine, but like our ancestors, these clans thirst for supremacy and blood, leading to a lot of fighting between us.

I'm not an advocate for violence, but my clan's survival is at stake. It's been months since I last saw them and I've got to be responsible for my brethren under me. Therefore, please give me some time to return to my clan and stabilise matters before returning to you and our child. Don't even think of following me, the North is a harsh place that is especially dangerous to a pregnant woman like you."

Kristin swallowed hard before replying, "Promise me you'll come back as soon as possible, our child and I will be waiting." Redmond left the house swiftly, afraid to turn back to see Kristin's face, which was covered in tears as she resisted bawling out loud at his departure.

The incessant cries of a child could be heard before a gentle voice, "Hush, darling. Mummy's here. Be a good baby, mmm…" Kristin, whose hair was noticeably longer and of a different hairstyle, could be seen cooing her baby boy.

After a few minutes, the baby boy stopped crying as it smiled adorably to its mother. Kristin muttered to herself, "That's my good boy, Kai. I promise that Papa would come home soon, okay?"

Suddenly, Kristin heard someone knocking at her door and peering through the eyehole, she realised it was Princess Charissa and Kristin immediately welcomed her into her place. Charissa played with Kai a little before turning to face Kristin with a grim expression.

Charissa warned, "Kristin, I don't think he's coming back. It's been over a year already. I suggest you forget about him, at least you have Kai to lean on. Even though Kai's human in appearance, I should be able to convince my brother to afford him rights and protection like any other Sylph. Just forget about Redmond and move on with your life!"

Kristin drew a deep breath before replying, "Sorry, Princess. I can't do that, only until I've confirmed that Redmond has abandoned us or he's dead would I give up. In fact, I've already made plans to go look for him in the Northern Wildlands."

Charissa snapped, "Are you a fool? You've hardly a clue on where to find him! As your superior and more importantly, your friend, I forbid you from going! Kai's too young for you guys to be out there alone!" Kristin could only bow her head in silence as baby Kai simply slept through the commotion, oblivious to the current situation.

The next day, when Charissa visited Kristin's home, she realised it was empty, except for a note on the table. After reading the note, Charissa cursed, "That idiot, she'll be the death of me!"

The next few weeks, Kristin went round asking for information on Redmond in the villages she'd chanced across in the Northern Wildlands, however, she failed to get any useful information from the locals there, partly because she didn't have much to start with. However, Kristin refused to give up, persevering in her efforts with baby Kai strapped to her back.

Little did Kristin know she was being watched, by both friends and foes. On that fateful night, it was a stormy night which gave a strong ominous feel. Kai was crying non-stop, afraid of the lightning that lit the skies. Kristin had to comfort him, cooing, "Don't worry, Kai, Mum's here…"

Suddenly, a strong gust of chilly wind blew across the cottage they were residing in and a group of menacing men suddenly appeared. Kristin noticed the presence of the men as she swiftly readied her bow and arrows, placing them within arm's reach before answering, "Who's it?"

Ignoring her question, the leader of the men answered with a question, "How're you related to Redmond? That son of a bitch culled my entire clan when I refused to yield to his will! Seems like you're his wife of some sort, I'll kill both you and your son!"

Kristin instinctively drew her bow and arrows as an intense battle ensued amidst roaring lightning. By the time Charissa arrived with her escorts, Kristin was already lying mortally wounded against the steps to her house, surrounded by corpses.

Despite being on the brink of death, Kristin's eyes shone brightly, displaying the power of her newly awakened Luminos. Charissa rushed to her side, kneeling beside her as she spoke hurriedly, "Hang in there, Kristin, I'll treat you straightaway! Hurry up, you guys!"

Kristin grabbed Charissa's hand tightly without a word and merely pointed to where Kai was, slurring weakly, "Bring…Kai…here…please." Charissa obliged and quickly brought Kai to his dying mother. Initially, Kai was bawling non-stop but once he reached his mother's arms, he went quiet and smiled peacefully.

Kristin turned to look at Charissa, her Luminos still active, a sight that Charissa would not forget all her life. Kristin said weakly, "I'm so sorry, Princess Charissa, for not listening to your advice. I'm even more sorry to my son, Kai, for leaving him at such a young age, without both parents…"

Kristin coughed out blood before resuming her last words, "Princess Charissa, I beg you, give Kai a complete family as his mother…" Kristin's hand suddenly went limp as she died with her eyes open, the glow of her Luminos slowly fading as it registered the death of its user.

Charissa would never forget the look in Kristin's eyes before she died, as Charissa could only use her hand to gently close the eyes of her childhood friend before carrying Kai away, with tears flowing uncontrollably from her eyes at the demise of her closest aide and an innocent child's mother.

Charissa narrated, "That's the end of your mother's tale. After we had buried her body appropriately in a forest nearby, where she can return to be one with Mother Nature, I brought you back to the Sylph Kingdom, where I raised you for a while alone, the only people aware of your existence my personal attendants and my brother, who was just crowned Sylph King then.

Eventually, Redmond, your biological father, returned a few months later. In my anger that he indirectly caused your mother's death due to her getting embroiled in the domestic disputes of the half demon clans, I lied to him angrily, telling him that both you and your mother were dead because of his name. If he took the news hard, he definitely didn't show it and he left quickly without a word, never returning to the Sylph Kingdom ever again.

Now, to explain my apparent 'return from the dead'. I won't go through how I met Arkad, that would be a story for another time. However, what actually transpired seven years ago was essentially a matter of your imagination, Kai. Or more precisely, your memories, which I altered with my Luminos Ability, [Memory Alteration].

The reason I picked demons to be my 'murderer' was because of my hatred for the Demon race, for what they've done to Kristin. Arkad knows the truth, as he is aware of my abilities all along, on top of the letter I wrote to him prior to my departure, which explained why I had to leave and do what I had done.

Arkad probably kept the truth from you in order to use your false memory as a source of motivation in your training in the future, as he had always wanted you to become an exemplary spell knight.

I really didn't want to alter your memories, Kai, but you had to come looking for me right before I left. Having no choice, I had to alter your memories in order for you to obtain a logical explanation of my disappearance from your life, which also served to help your sister understand as well.

To corroborate the validity of your memories, I set the house slightly on fire, though not heavy enough to burn down the whole house, leading to investigators, if any, to conclude that your story was merely exaggerated by a child's imagination.

After hearing the stories of your mother and me, I can only pray that you forgive me for what I've done and embrace your true identity, as a half-demon, half-Sylph and as Redmond's son."

Kai and Redmond stared at each other for a long while before Kai said apologetically, "I'm sorry for what I'd said a few days ago…Dad." as Redmond could only nod tearfully at the discovery of his long lost son.