"You're just like your father." My expression had almost faltered for a fraction of a second when he said that.
But I quickly hid it with a smirk. "Oh? And what does that mean?"
His lips pressed into a thin line.
We stared at each other for a long moment before he finally exhaled and ran a hand through his greying hair. "Where is Sylvie?"
I chuckled, shaking my head. "Oh? So you finally remember your wife?"
The veins in his temple twitched.
I could tell he was barely holding himself back from smacking me.
But instead of snapping, he turned to his guards and ordered, "Leave."
The guards hesitated at first, glancing between the two of us.
I raised an eyebrow, daring them to disobey. One by one, they hurried out like frightened mice.
The heavy doors slammed shut behind them, leaving the two of us alone in the vast throne hall.
Venus pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Call her inside."
The words had barely left his mouth when the door creaked open.
And then she stepped in.
For a moment, silence settled over the room. I kept my expression neutral, but my fingers twitched at my sides as I realised something.
Her once vibrant pink hair were dull, streaked with silver. Deep lines creased her face, evidence of years that hadn't passed naturally.
She wasn't supposed to look . She wasn't supposed to be this way.
A crushing realisation hit me.
Ma had slowly been aging all this while, maybe hiding it with her so called 'facial products'.
But now that we had been in the forest, fighting for god knows how long along with all that tension in the city we took the portal from, it all became painfully clear.
In all these years, she was just trying to hold on to her past self.
That maybe her mana core being sealed had more impact then just locking away her mana.
Meanwhile, Venus's eyes widened as he took her in, his entire body tensing.
He didn't speak, but he didn't have to. The horror in his gaze was enough.
Sylvie sighed, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Still as dramatic as ever, I see."
I scoffed almost immediately. "Oh, trust me, Grandma. He's just getting started."
Venus shot me a sharp glare but I only smirked.
He stepped forward, keeping his voice softer this time. "Sylvie… come here."
She hesitated. I saw it—the way her fingers curled slightly, the way she weighed her options.
Then, slowly, she walked forward, stopping just out of his reach.
I didn't miss the way his hands trembled. He wanted to reach for her. He wanted to do something.
But Sylvie took a step back.
"Why now, Venus?" she whispered. "After all this time… why now?"
I tilted my head, watching as he clenched his fists. He didn't answer.
A dry chuckle escaped me. "Look at you two. What a touching reunion." My voice dripped with amusement.
Then, meeting Venus's eyes, I added, "Say, Patriarch… are you regretting your decisions now?"
His patience snapped.
Before I could react, the said man was standing in front of me ad he reached his hand out to me.
I was lifted off the ground.
His fingers pressed against my forehead, keeping me suspended mid-air.
My hazel eyes widened slightly. Not from fear. Not from pain. Just mild surprise.
Even so, I didn't struggle.
Venus's lips curved into a slow, almost a kind smile. The kind that hid something dangerous underneath. "Call. Me. Your. Grandfather."
I raised an eyebrow, my hands gripping his wrist, but I didn't fight back. "Tsk. You're still as childish as ever," I muttered.
His grip didn't loosen.
A long pause stretched between us, filled with nothing but silence.
I knew what he wanted.
I also knew he wouldn't let go until he got it.
With a sigh, I finally muttered, "Grandpa."
For a second, just a second, something softened.
Then I added, "Happy now, old man?"
And just like that, without any warning, he let go.
Landing straight on the floor, I grumbled; cursing this old2. man in my mind as I adjusted my robes, looking up at him with a blank stare. "Was that necessary?"
Sylvie sighed, crossing her arms. "Really, Venus?"
The old man rubbed his temples. "He deserved it."
I smirked. "You just wanted to show off."
He ignored me, turning back to Sylvie instead. "Let me see you."
She stiffened but didn't resist when he took her hand this time.
I watched as his expression darkened.
Ma's hands were cold. Calloused.
The woman who once held warmth now carried nothing but the weight of time.
"You've suffered, haven't you?" he murmured.
Instead, she pulled her hand away.
Venus inhaled sharply. "I never wanted this, Sylvie."
I scoffed. "Could've fooled us."
His gaze snapped to me. "I did what I had to."
"Sure," I drawled. "And look how well that turned out."
Sylvie placed a hand on my shoulder. "Enough," she said simply.
I clicked my tongue but didn't argue.
We didn't have time for this.
Venus took a slow breath before turning to face me completely. "You came here for a reason."
I nodded. "You know why."
The very thing that had condemned my grandmother to a powerless existence.
"It's not that simple," he said.
I tilted my head. "Isn't it?"
Sylvie tensed beside me, but she said nothing.
The silence stretched between us like a blade waiting to drop.
Venus and I locked eyes, neither of us willing to back down.
His black gaze bore into mine, hard and calculating, as if weighing every possible outcome of this conversation.
I didn't need to guess what was going through his head. He knew he had no choice but to agree.
Still, I could see the resistance in his posture, the way he couldn't stop tapping his leg on the floor.
"Do you even understand what you're asking for?" Venus asked, his voice edged with warning.
I tilted my head slightly, lips curling. "Oh? Should I say 'please' to make it easier for you?"
Sylvie shot me a sharp look, but I didn't waver.
I wasn't here to grovel.
I was here to unseal my Ma's mana core.
And I would do just that.