Getting his Bands to quickly find the gardener’s family, in which were poor but were a good family. Matthew took the man’s body to them personally and gave them a Commoner Cache that held ten thousand Sum in it. He also stated that he was going to talk to the General about employing any of them for work and that he was deeply sorry for the loss of the man’s life. He wanted to state who, namely Miss Haves, had been behind his death, but Matthew couldn’t do it. Miss Haves had used that on himself, never intending it for the man at all. It was not only Matthew leaving that room that day, that changed the man’s fate, but that of his men, who put in someone else in his stead because of how angry they had been…Who was to blame?

Was it himself, because he had let Miss Haves have the chance to use something like that against him or was it Miss Haves for thinking that using something like that was her only chance?

Nonetheless, the gardener, known as Robert Planks, was now gone and his family had to live the rest of their lives without him.

Of course, they cried, and Matthew could only leave a man behind to help with the proceedings of a funeral, before he felt like he had to take his leave and let the family mourn.

He didn’t like it!

He was ruthless yes, but why hadn’t he let the man go and just kept Miss Haves imprisoned on her own?

Thinking back to those dark days, that Sahara had left him, he had made several mistakes and did not like it. He was a fool without her…

Remembering now that they were going to stay together, Matthew took this in as a lesson. He will not be a fool again! He will look after his people and make sure that no harm comes to them!

***

Upon teleporting all seven of them to the Empress’s chambers, Band One silenced a servant and Band Two silenced the other servant, while Matthew, Steven and I looked upon the startled Empress. Kin, on the other hand, was the only one soundly sleeping, having no idea upon what was in store for one of the people in the room.

“…What…What are you doing here? Gu…Guards!” The Empress had first not worried, upon seeing Matthew, but seeing Sahara and Steven, a man with golden eyes, she couldn’t help but start to worry…Then, the maids falling down to the floor only made her panic more so! “I am the Empress! How dare such a thing happen here in my presence!”

Matthew’s golden sword appeared but Sahara suddenly stopped him…

Looking at the Empress, and remembering how she was before, Sahara asked, “Maybe I should just put her back the way she was before I healed her.”

Matthew turned to her and sighed, “Is that what you want to do?”

Sahara sighed as well, she probably shouldn’t use her powers…So, she shook her head and said, “It’s ok, perhaps she’ll never come to terms to what she does to other people anyway…How she goes…When she’s dead, she’s dead…”

Looking firmly at the Empress, who was starting to fume in anger, Sahara did not take any of the harsh, threatening words that continued to come out of that mouth of hers.

All Sahara could think, was that the Empress had the chance to turn around…But she hadn’t taken it!

Matthew kissed Sahara on the forehead and then turned to the Empress, stabbing her, just like he had with the red radish, that was supposed to have been his wife.

He hardened his heart to the past memories of her and remembered the newest ones of the Empress being completely unforgivingly terrible to his beloved woman.

The Empress fell to her chair, that was behind her, and put her hand to her wound, looking at Matthew in undisguised disbelief…

Sighing, Matthew put his sword to the side, where Band One immediately cleaned it, and then made his sword go back to his dantian and looked at the Empress, “If only you saw how precious Sahara was to me and left her alone, your fate would be different.”

He obviously chooses his beloved woman, over the woman who had brought him up, it was clear…And all the Empress should have done was let Sahara off, take her happily in as a daughter in law…

Was it asking too much?

It didn’t matter now, she had gone too far and there was one thing that both Sahara and himself agreed too. And that was that Kin was not to grow up wanting revenge…

Their justice was now restored completely…

They had brought justice to their son and themselves now and they were choosing to leave as their own punishments, as well as the fact that they didn’t want to stay…Already deciding as well that if they wanted to talk to someone that was in Green Haven, Sahara was going to teleport them out instead. This…Was their last mission here, this was their goodbye and farewell to Green Haven…

Seeing the Empress yell out again and again, it was finally good to see her want to live!

Having brought her back from the dead, she had a fresh ten or so years ahead of her and she knew of this…And in a matter of moments, it was disappearing from her.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

As ten minutes went by, as blood went onto the chair and onto the Empress’s clothes, she really started to get desperate and fell to the floor, wanting to take in Matthew’s clothes in her hands and to kiss his feet.

Apologizes, crying and panting filled the room and Matthew didn’t like it…He wanted to leave…

Sahara turned to Matthew and frowned, “If you don’t want her to die, I will save her.”

He shook his head, “I just want to go.”

Seeing into his thoughts and heart, Sahara was feeling as Matthew and so, she teleported them to the Emperor.

“Matthew? Sahara? Oh, it is you, my son!”

The Emperor’s easy words, when they had done something so cruel behind his back, made them all feel bad, especially the ‘Band’s’.

Sahara then stepped forward, “The Empress may need a funeral, father, blood keeps coming out of her body.”

“Wh…What did you say?” The Emperor looked at Sahara with wide eyes. So blunt…But…Is this true!?

Matthew attempted to talk, but in his state, Sahara continued, “It was weird, father, I went to say goodbye, because we’re leaving, and there was blood everywhere!”

“…Som…Someone come!”

The Emperor’s personal eunuch came, and the Emperor demanded that he was to check upon the Empress and to return back with news.

Taking hold of the Emperor, Sahara took him away from the others, making them stare at Sahara in protest to her actions. When they got far enough away, Sahara looked at the very confused Emperor and sighed, “Father, I was forcefully taken, and my son was also forcefully taken. If it wasn’t for my power, who knew where my son had gone!”

She took out a whole heap of white pills, placing them into his hands, and looked at him pleadingly, “We are really leaving, only messaging or teleporting someone out in the future. I want you to clean up any mess that we may have left behind. Don’t let Matthew’s reputation scatter, say he is traveling and…”

The Emperor frowned and stared at his daughter in law, “Sahara?”

Sahara wiped a tear, not even knowing why she was crying. She wasn’t an emotional person, but this Emperor had always been nice to her and…He was like another little boy sometimes! Even if she did worry for him and like his funny ways as an Emperor, why cry!?

She then smiled, “Ah, do you want to meet Kin? He is very small but…Steven, come here!”

Steven promptly came, and Sahara lifted the towel, showing the little boy sleeping in the strange looking carrier.

“That…That is my grandson?” The Emperor asked with undisguised, happy curiosity.

Sahara nodded and smiled again. She didn’t think this would be emotional…Matthew’s thoughts. Ah, she thought, perhaps it was Matthew who had made her go into a bit of turmoil and cry…Making her feel like following it with more!

It really was a strange thing, as after the Emperor held the small, premature baby, he was all smiles and laughter. Sahara knew he had heard what she had said just minutes ago, but she didn’t know that he was going to think it through later, after they had gone.

Feeling bad, because it seemed he didn’t accept us leaving for good, Sahara didn’t know what to say to him next.

Their small group was interrupted by the eunuch, stating that the Empress was in a critical state, and that she may not last long…Making the short moment of happiness somewhat dissipate.

At that stage, the Emperor had looked at both Matthew and Sahara, finally understanding what Sahara had meant…

Matthew hadn’t moved much, but his eyes were changing, and Sahara wasn’t surprised to see the golden within them. After all, she not only sees them on Steven all the time, but from Matthew’s memories, when he had thought of his own golden eyes, already told her that he can have them too.

…What made Sahara stop wanting to cry, was Matthew finally snapped out of it with a promise to himself, that he was going to get stronger, so that he could protect his little family.

He went straight to her and kissed her, and Sahara felt and heard his need for her to be by his side.

Whatever he had to endure, he would, as long as she stayed with him!

Kissing him back, to try and let him know that she was beside him and will stay that way, she lost herself to him.

Band One and Band Two looked away from their Master’s and looked at little Master instead. Their loyalty for the Emperor may still be there and if their Master returned to save His Majesty at some point, they will gladly do the best they could to save him, but…If they are going, then the first and second goal for them was to protect the Second Prince, and then his child. Yet…Knowing their Master, he would most likely say that Princess Sahara and the young Master would be first and second instead…

The troubles of having to follow rules…But they will follow them, whatever their Master says…

Strangely the news about the Empress did not travel far and the Emperor did not leave to visit her in her most critical time. It seems, that the Emperor had accepted her fate and was making the best of his first sight of his new grandchild.

With hearing little information about what had happened and the fact that the empress had already been in this state before, the Emperor could only sigh. If what they said is true, and his son and daughter in law don’t return, this maybe the only time that he’ll get in a good lot of cuddles in. It did weight on his mind on what to choose, either the empress’s last moments or potentially the only cuddles he could get with his grandchild for quite some time.

Oh…And wasn’t he such a small thing too!

The Emperor cooed to the little boy, who hadn’t opened his eyes just yet but did make some noises now. He’s woken up slightly to what was going on around him…

Everything has happened so quickly! It was only…Well, I guess I understand what they did then…More chaos! How am I to clean all this up!?

The Emperor’s thoughts slowed in just mere minutes as the little boy regained his attention.

“Is he healthy?” The Emperor asked.

Sahara nodded, “I check him often, father. He likes getting patted with spiritual essence anyway, so…”

The Emperor frowned to his daughter in laws way of talking but didn’t take his eyes of the little boy.

It’s good that the boy is healthy!

Of course, it wasn’t his only grandchild, as his eldest son had three children, but this one was…

How could he put it?

…He was special!

Even after an hour, of a few Ministers coming and going, the Emperor did not do anything big and kept his grandson in his arms, not willing to return him back to Sahara or Matthew!

The little man was giving out a few whimpers, but the Emperor was not concerned, even telling the Ministers with pride that the young one was his grandson!

Naruto was excited and ran around everyone, like he was the baby instead, so Sahara teleported him to her arms and told him to calm down. Steven stood there like a statue, watching Kin with keen eyes, it looked like he was taking his role of godfather very seriously! It was a nice family time for Kin, that she will have to show him later, so that he knew how special he was…Right from the very start!

When the General charged in everything became an hilarious spectacle as the big man tried to hold the baby, but the Emperor wasn’t finished!

Even though laughter was heard, the Emperor was truly dissatisfied and told the General to kneel, and just like a good little boy, he knelled…Thinking that will give him a chance to hold the baby…

It truly was too much for the Emperor and he slowly and gently let his grandson go to the General, and the General received the boy easily and happily.

“Haha, my boy, you finally have a son!” He raised the boy up and a few gasps where heard, even from the Emperor, and the General brought the baby back down to his chest, cooing to him like nothing had happened!

Sahara leaned into Matthew with a smile and wished that so much good didn’t come with so much bad!

Her son was being adored by many, yet he really shouldn’t have been born yet. If nothing had happened, they’d probably still come back to Green Haven…But now they no longer wanted to be here…

…It wasn’t fair! Now father was missing out! And Felix…Stupid Empress and red radish!

***