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“I never claimed I know more about the Soul Beasts than you do, Lord Manu,” Ruston Stroganoff said while placing the red egg on the cushion on top of the tea table. “In fact, my knowledge about the Soul Beasts is just as much as a regular person does.”

He raised an eyebrow at what the young man said. “A regular person only knows that a Soul Beast is a de Moonasterio’s “spirit guardian.””

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m not convinced,” he said firmly. “It seems like you know a lot about the Soul Beasts. Spill it out, child.”

“I don’t,” Ruston Stroganoff said in a clear and convincing voice, then he looked at him straight in the eye. “But I know a lot about gods.”

“Gods? What do you mean-” He trailed off, then he gave the young man a suspicious look. “So, you know that Neoma de Moonasterio’s Soul Beast is a god?”

.....

The young man just nodded, then he turned to the red egg. “The reason why the egg hasn’t hatched yet is because Crimson is still sleeping.”

“It’s only natural for him to sleep after the vigorous training he went through,” he said. “After all, I raised him in a rush. In my estimation, it will take three to six months before the egg hatches.”

“We don’t have the luxury to wait for the egg to hatch.”

He flinched at the young man’s harsh words. “I know that, but...”

But he already did all he could do to hatch the egg faster. In the end, all his efforts were put in vain.

Thus, he couldn’t believe Ruston Stroganoff when he said he could hatch the egg early.

“I know you already did your best, Lord Manu,” the young man said as if he was consoling him. “Let me take it from here.”

He didn’t want to say this, but Ruston Stroganoff sounded reliable.

Moreover, the young man’s dark purple eyes were clear- it was his gaze that was telling him he knew what he was doing.

“Alright, give it a try,” he said, giving in. “Nikolai de Moonasterio trusts you, so I don’t have a choice but to put my faith in you as well.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Ruston Stroganoff said politely, then he put a hand on the red egg and closed his eyes. “This will be quick.”

And the young man didn’t lie.

Manu didn’t know what exactly happened.

All he could understand was Ruston Stroganoff released a different kind of DIVINE ENERGY that a human like him shouldn’t possess. The purple-ish glow that enveloped the young man’s hand was similar to Moonglow, but it still felt different.

[I don’t think it’s the divine energy that belongs to the Sun People, too.]

What kind of divine energy was it, then?

[It’s so strong and it could even rival the de Moonasterios’ Moonglow...]

His thoughts were interrupted when suddenly, cracks appeared all over the egg. But the cracks stopped spreading immediately.

“Neoma can do the rest,” Ruston Stroganoff said when he opened his eyes, then he pulled his hand away from the egg. “The Soul Beast is already awake, but its two personalities are fighting each other at the moment. I think only Neoma can solve that problem.”

“Ah, right,” he said. “That Soul Beast has two personalities that always fight each other.”

“I already kept my end of the bargain, so I’ll go ahead now,” the young man said.

“Wait.”

It was South, the flaming Vermillion Bird in his human form, who spoke. South had been quietly observing them while sitting on the sofa lazily. This was the first time South broke his silence ever since Manu and Ruston Stroganoff arrived at Nikolai de Moonasterio’s room for the red egg.

“Ruto, are you leaving already?” South asked, addressing Ruston Stroganoff in a friendly manner. “I heard from our master that Princess Neoma passed the entrance exam with flying colors. Won’t you stay and congratulate her?”

“I already cooked a warm meal for Neoma as a congratulatory gift for her accomplishment, Lord South,” Ruston Stroganoff said politely. “I’m afraid I can’t stay longer.”

“It’s a shame then,” South said, while eyeing the young man in a way that could get the old Spirit arrested. “I want to see Princess Neoma drool once she sees you.”

“My face isn’t Neoma’s type, though.”

“Nah, that can’t be,” South said, licking his lips. “Don’t you know how sexy you look now, especially with that burn mark on your face, Ruto?”

The young man remained poker-faced.

“Hey, that’s sexual harassment. That child is only seventeen,” Manu said, calling out South. Then he turned to Ruston Stroganoff. “It’s okay to beat him to a pulp for his unsavory comment. You can also tattle on Nikolai de Moonasterio, so South would be punished.”

“That’s harsh,” South complained. “I was just complimenting the boy!”

Manu gave South a dire stare. “An old man calling a minor ‘sexy’ isn’t a compliment- it’s sexual harassment.”

“Fine, I take it back,” South said, then he turned to Ruston Stroganoff. “I apologize for my unsavory comment, Ruto.”

“It’s alright, Lord South,” Ruston Stroganoff. “But I agree with Lord Manu. Please be careful next time.”

South nodded solemnly. “I understand- this won’t happen again. But to be clear, I am not interested in children.” He put a hand over his chest dramatically. “My heart and body only belong to Delywn.”

“We don’t need to know that,” both Manu and Ruston Stroganoff said at the same time.

“Okay,” South said, laughing. Then he fell silent suddenly, his face turning serious. “Ruston Stroganoff, my master wants to see you before you leave.”

***

“ARE YOU really not going to see my daughter before you leave?” Nikolai asked Ruston Stroganoff as soon as the young man entered his office. “I received a message from Rufus. They’re on their way to the palace. And apparently, Neoma experienced chest pain while claiming that her Soul Beast is calling out to her.”

“It’s natural for Neoma-”

“Ruston Stroganoff, it’s ‘Princess Neoma’ to you.”

“It’s natural for Princess Neoma to experience chest pains after I awakened her Soul Beast,” Ruston Stroganoff said, correcting himself indifferently. “After all, Princess Neoma’s soul is tied to her Soul Beast, and the link is located in the center of her heart. But Her Royal Highness will be fine once the egg completely hatches.”

He raised an eyebrow while observing the young man standing in front of his office desk.

[I’ve noticed this earlier, but there’s really something different about Ruston Stroganoff now.]

He couldn’t tell if it was his aura.

But the boy definitely changed.

Still...

“Your Majesty, there’s still at least an hour before the egg hatches,” Ruston Stroganoff said. “Please let Princess Neoma have dinner first once she comes home. Her Royal Highness likes her rice warm, so please don’t let the food I cooked for her go cold.”

[Yes, Ruston Stroganoff looks different now that he’s grown, but his obvious adoration for my precious daughter remains.]

It irked him to no end.

“I understand why a young man like you would be attracted to my daughter, but I didn’t summon you here to listen to you fawn over Neoma,” he said, frowning at the young man. Then he immediately changed the topic. He didn’t want to hear Ruston Stroganoff mention his daughter’s name with so much affection. “You didn’t give me the details about the ‘Masterpiece’ that you mentioned earlier. Why is Calyx Dalton the crows’ Masterpiece? And how did you know that it was him?”

“I know nothing about Calyx Dalton because I didn’t meet him in the past.”

By the ‘past,’ Ruston Stroganoff must be speaking about his first life.

Neoma once mentioned to him that Ruston Stroganoff also remembered his first life, but they weren’t allowed to talk about it. Ruston Stroganoff could give out information if needed, though. However, it seemed like Ruston Stroganoff would have to pay for it.

And Neoma didn’t know what kind of payment was.

“When I obliterated some of the crows’ base across the continent, I discovered the blueprint of the experiment that they’ve been doing for a long time now,” Ruston Stroganoff said in a solemn voice. “It was simply called the ‘Masterpiece.’ Judging by what I’ve read, the goal of the experiment is to create the perfect de Moonasterio. When I heard the news about the young nobleman who resembles the Crown Prince a lot, I immediately thought of that experiment.”

“‘Create?\'” he asked, his eyebrows knitted. “Are you saying that Calyx Dalton isn’t exactly human?”

“You can say that, Your Majesty.”

“Then what is he?”

“I can’t tell Your Majesty until I get the proof I need to confirm my theory,” the young man said. “Unfortunately, the blueprint I found was incomplete, so I didn’t know how the crows created the Masterpiece. All I have right now is my own theories, and I know that Your Majesty prefers an accurate report over a mere speculation that may or may not be correct.”

Tsk.

He didn’t want to admit this, but he really liked Ruston Stroganoff’s work ethics.

“Ruston Stroganoff.”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“When will you officially return to the empire and become the commander of the Order of the White Lion Knights?”

“When will Your Majesty allow Princess Neoma to entertain suitors?”

His jaw clenched the same time his fists did. “Never.”

Ruston Stroganoff let out a soft laugh. “That’s also my answer, Your Majesty. I will never become the commander of the White Lion Knights.”

He didn’t like the young man’s rejection, but he was relieved to see him laugh.

Because when Ruston Stroganoff laughed, it seemed like all the burden that he saw on his face earlier disappeared.

Not that he would admit it aloud.

“Did you ask William to manipulate the Headmaster to delay the match for two weeks in order for you to buy time?”

.....

The young man’s smile turned bitter.

He let out a sigh while shaking his head. “Ruston Stroganoff, are you going to hunt him down and kill him yourself?”

“I’m the only one who can do it, Your Majesty.”

“I didn’t know Neoma’s arrogance has rubbed off on you.”

“I’m not saying this out of arrogance, Your Majesty,” Ruston Stroganoff said. “I can’t say why, but Your Majesty and Princess Neoma won’t be able to kill the Masterpiece. Thus, I should be the one to do it.”

He didn’t like how Ruston Stroganoff had so many secrets.

But he understood that a person like him who had the memories of his first life intact was restricted when it comes to sharing information in so many ways. Thus, he would just let it slide.

“Can you kill the Masterpiece on your own?”

“It won’t be easy, but I’ll do everything to end him, Your Majesty.”

“Can you fight without your Elemental Guardian?”

“I never depended on my Elemental Guardian in the first place, Your Majesty.”

Well, that made sense.

Why else would this punk leave his Elemental Guardian to Neoma if he needed it to fight?

Ruston Stroganoff was extremely powerful- with or without Veton.

“Alright- I won’t hold you back anymore. You may leave now,” Nikolai said while shooing him off with his hand. “And don’t you dare meet my daughter behind my back.”

“I won’t, Your Majesty,” Ruston Stroganoff said, his smile looking a little sad. “I won’t meet Princess Neoma until the Masterpiece is gone.”

***

NEOMA wondered why Stephanie ushered her to the dining hall as soon as she returned to the palace, while Alphen escorted Hanna and Duke Rufus Quinzel to the drawing room.

But as soon as she saw the Korean food set on the table, she figured it out immediately.

[Ruto was here!]

Only Ruto could cook rice, grilled pork and beef, kimchi, rolled and steamed egg, fishcake, and Korean fried chicken for her.

But why didn’t he show up?

[Are you hiding from me, you punk?]

She knew it might be useless, but she still used the communication device that Ruto left for her before to call him. It wasn’t the first time that she called him using that device, but he never picked up her call for the past few years they were apart.

Thus, she wasn’t confident that he would pick up this time, too.

She was about to hang up when the other line just kept on ringing when suddenly...

It was Ruto...

... and his voice was deeper and sexier now!

“‘Congratulations,’ my ass,” Neoma said grumpily, a lump forming in her throat. “Ruston Stroganoff, you’ll regret it if you don’t show up in front of me now! Don’t you know how prettier I’ve become while you were sleeping?!”

The punk had the guts to laugh.

Ruto said softly.