Lake strutted toward Glass and Pattern, his fifty-first concubine walking proudly behind him,a stunning young woman from one of Predator Liroid’s unofficial daughters.Glass pinched the bridge of her nose.Pattern groaned.Lake spread his arms. “Mother… Father… I have taken another concubine.”Pattern pointed at him accusingly.“You are a bad influence on your sisters.”Mist crossed her arms. “That’s what happens when you let him join the Divine Guild. Fifty concubines now… Oh…”She eyed the new woman. “Correction. Fifty-ONE.”Lake flicked his silver hair. “None of your business. And your dear future husband will have many.”Mist smirked. “Act like the eldest for once, Lake. And I promise you…I will WIPE OUT his entire harem before my first child is born.”Pattern choked on his wine.Glass looked at the sky as if begging for patience.Wildfire stepped forward. “She doesn’t need to do that. Eden never had a harem.”Lake rolled his eyes. “Not every male is as mad as your husband, Wild

The Estate of Pattern in Bron had never seen such frenzy.Servants ran in every direction. Cooks barked at underlings. Tailors rushed with silk bundles. Gardeners shaped hedges into symbols of Liroid blessing. Every fountain glowed with lily-light, courtesy of Pattern’s obsessive vision.Because Pattern was a perfectionist,more than Glass, more than any of his siblings,and today was the wedding of his first daughter.Lake arrived early, ten concubines swarming around him like colorful songbirds. He barely stepped out of his carriage before complaining.“Father did not do all this when I took concubines.”Glass didn’t even look up from adjusting Mist’s necklace.“Because you never married, Lake. The day you wed, he’ll do the same for you.”Lake scoffed.“He paid a massive dowry to greedy Branch for Mist. Branch practically robbed us blind.”Mist snatched the scroll from his hands.“Bran didn’t even want a dowry, Lake. Branch insisted.”Lake scanned the list again: lands, gold, enchan

The wedding banquet had barely begun before Dendra made his presence known.The hall glittered with candlelight and crystal chandeliers, guests dressed in impossible finery, Pattern’s wealth displayed so boldly that even Bron’s nobles whispered in humbled awe.Then Dendra simply floated in.Literally.Feet not touching the ground, cloak billowing dramatically, goblet already in hand.Someone muttered,“Of course… he can’t enter a room like a normal person.”He winked, snapped his fingers, and every lantern in the hall shifted color, gold to lilac, matching Mist’s crown.“Now that is a wedding glow,” he announced.The crowd roared with laughter.Pattern rolled his eyes.Glass sighed.But Mist smiled despite herself.Shiver and Vile, A Moment Among the ChaosShiver stood beside Vile near the balcony, both half-hidden from the crowd. She wore a dark green gown that shimmered in shadows, and Shiver couldn’t stop staring at her, much to Trina’s lingering worry.Vile looked around nervously

Morning in Bron came with bells, sunlight, and rumors.Mist woke with Bran beside her, both still exhausted from the chaos of the banquet and the intensity of their union. When she rose, the royal attendants nearly fell over trying to bow correctly, no longer to “Lady Mist”… but to:Crown Princess Mist, Liroid of Pattern’s House.And they were terrified.She walked through the palace halls dressed in a simple silver morning gown, not even her full attire, and yet every noble she passed pressed themselves to the sides of the corridor as if a great beast walked between them.Bran whispered, amused,“They act like you’ll set them on fire.”“I might,” she responded dryly.Bran only smiled at that.Word had already spread: She had blocked Tan’s strike.Her vows had shaken the palace pillars. Pattern’s crown looked more sacred than Bron’s own royal treasury.And, much to Bran’s secret pride,Bron realized their new princess was not a political statue…But a storm they had accidentally let

The gates of Pyrennia thundered open as Snake, Dragon, and Serpent approached. Warriors in bronze armor pounded their chests in salute, their chants echoing like thunder.At the center of the courtyard stood Chief Bacu, a towering man carved from muscle and scar, his presence alone enough to silence storms. His armor bore the marks of hundreds of battles, and his braided hair was threaded with iron rings symbolizing victory.The moment Bacu recognized Snake, his stern expression cracked into a broad grin.“SNAAAAKE!”His voice boomed like a war drum.Before Snake could brace himself, Bacu engulfed him in a crushing hug, lifting him slightly off the ground.“My brother! Forgive me for missing the festival…I spent the last six days scolding my useless sons!” He released Snake and pointed behind him with exaggerated annoyance.“Treason and Ghost…those troublemakers nearly tore apart the gaming field. Again.”Dragon snorted.“So nothing has changed.”Bacu sighed heavily, though pride flic