Samuel had successfully formed a bond with the two-headed bear. He already had plans for it.The beast had no will left to resist after being brutally beaten by Samuel. At that point, obedience was its only option.He turned around, and the first person his gaze landed on was Nina. She looked excited to see him at first, but suddenly, as if remembering something, she pouted and turned her face away.Samuel smiled. She was still upset, and he understood.Suddenly, a figure leapt into his arms, clinging to him like a koala. Her familiar scent filled his nostrils.Well, it definitely wasn’t Nina, since she was currently glaring daggers at both of them. Samuel could only cough lightly, hoping Nina wouldn’t explode on the spot.He wrapped his arms around Ivana, returning her hug."I missed you, Samuel. I really missed you. I was so worried when Nina and Azarath came back and told us what happened in Egean." She spoke between soft sobs, which contrasted sharply with her normally cheerful ex

Samuel, Nina and Azarath were already prepared to leave. They did not ride on any beast. Their actual mounts were waiting for them outside in the forest. They did not need to take the normal route. With a simple shortcut, they would arrive directly at the forest.Samuel looked back one more time. He truly longed to see her one last time before leaving the Divine Beast Continent.Maxwell sighed. He had come out to see them off. “It is alright, Sam. It is not your fault, and it is not hers either. It's simply fate doing its own thing, hahaha.” He stepped forward and patted Samuel encouragingly on the shoulder.Samuel felt his heart lighten at Maxwell’s words. It truly had not been his fault. He decided not to think about it any longer.They stepped out of the compound.“Wait!”They had not walked far when Samuel paused and turned slowly. It was indeed her. She wore a flowery pink dress that suited her perfectly.A bright smile rested on her beautiful face, the same warm smile she was al

Charlotte was greatly amused by her expression. She looked like someone who had just discovered a new planet and was eager to explore it. Charlotte decided to lead her on and see where this would go.In reality, she did not know much about Samuel’s relationships with other women. He had always been a squanderer, gambling and clubbing, but he had never brought a woman home. So how was she supposed to know his preferences?“Oh yes.” She nodded seriously. “Samuel likes women who cook a lot.”“Alright. I think I should help Molly in the kitchen. It must be very tough on her. Also, maybe I should pick up a thing or two about cooking. When you travel in the future, I can cook by myself and not starve to death.” She stood up.“This girl. So sneaky,” Charlotte muttered with a smile.Just then, the doorbell rang. Kimberly had already risen to her feet, while Charlotte had just sat down, so Kimberly went ahead to open the door.“Must be Salo or Cesar,” she thought. It would be even better if it

It was Samuel’s 18th birthday, and it was being hosted at a huge hotel called Wellington. He sent invitations to Christina, Richard, Majeed, Eric, Tony, and his good friend Jude.Cesar, Willows, Nina, Salo, and even the priestess Thesa were invited. Charlotte came with Molly, Kimberly, Lola, Rowland — the former label boss and now the manager — along with a few of the company executives.There was also a surprising guest: Vicky.She had been Samuel’s second client after Tony. Before he left for the Divine Beast Continent, he had asked her sister to help get her out of the trouble with her company and pay the penalty for the breach of contract. After that, she would sign a new contract with them.Vicky had been extremely grateful. The new contract was fair and allowed her a certain amount of freedom. What she could not understand was something else entirely.Why would a label that had only recently been bought over put itself in a situation where it became enemies with a hegemon like E

Eric and Samuel met in a tea shop.“So, has the president agreed?” he asked.“Yes,” Eric nodded. “The president of Panya has agreed. The island is worth far more—just thirty million dollars—but he wants us to pay fifty million. In exchange, the government will sign documents guaranteeing they’ll never interfere with the island again, no matter what you decide to do with it.”“Alright, I understand perfectly.” Samuel nodded and took a sip of tea. “So, have you contacted any construction company?” he asked.“Not yet, but I have someone in mind—and it’s someone you actually know.”“Who?” Samuel asked curiously.“From the Macaulay family. Albert and Warren. I was thinking maybe Warren. I heard you’re dating Warren’s daughter.” He smirked.“What nonsense are you saying? Albert is our own person now, and I’m not dating Warren’s daughter. We’re just friends.” Samuel kicked him under the table.“Hehehe, alright, alright. I’ve heard you,” Eric chuckled.“And yes, I remember I gave you an assig