Alter froze. Her vision blurred as heat prickled behind her eyes, tears welling before she could stop them. Her voice lodged in her throat, useless, as she stared at the three figures rushing toward her.

The Catfurren man in the cloak was Purigon—the current King of Ventaria. Beside him ran his younger sister, Princess Fishia, her silver hair disheveled from the wind.

They had always called her Great Aunty Felicia.

Though more than six generations stood between them, the distance had never mattered. Alter had been there since the moment they drew their first breaths. She had taught them how to hold a blade, how to command an army, how to rule with strength without forgetting compassion.

And behind them stood Azraphael. Alter's mentor waited quietly, her presence as steady as the earth beneath them. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Beyond them, an entire host had gathered.

The kingdom's finest knights and warriors filled the horizon. Alter recognized every face. They were soldiers of her past and present—those who had marched beside her into battle, who had trusted her with their lives, who had once looked to her as their unshakable pillar.

The sight struck her harder than any blade.

Emotion surged, sudden and heavy, settling in her chest like lead.

"Purigon… Fishia… what are you doing here?" Alter's voice emerged rough, trembling against her will.

She had intended to visit them only after saying her final farewell to Morvena. It seemed fate had other plans.

Perhaps this was for the best. It saved her time.

An hour more… to remain here, by Morvena's side.

A faint smile touched her lips, though her chest felt unbearably tight.

"Great Aunty… we heard the heavenly decree and came as fast as we could," Purigon said. He was breathless, as though he had run without stopping since the news reached him.

Perhaps he had.

But Fishia…

Fishia looked moments from shattering.

"Please… what are you thinking, accepting such nonsense?" She grabbed Alter's shoulders, her grip desperate, her voice trembled as she was half panting, half yelling. "What are you planning to do? You did not even ask us! The kingdom will not allow this!"

In their family bloodline, this young princess catgirl actually resembled Alter the most. Not only that she shared almost the same hair style, same face, but also similar personality. She was fierce, stubborn, and could be scary at times. It reminded Alter of her younger self, though thankfully, the girl didn't suffer from the same demonic curse as Alter.

Then Fishia gaze dropped, to the sword in Alter's hand.

Understanding dawned instantly. Her expression hardened.

"You… you were going to—"

Fishia does not finish the sentence.

"Fishia… thank you," Alter said.

She peeled the girl's fingers from her shoulders and placed one hand atop her head, steadying her.

"But as I told the generals… I have already made my decision. There is no other choice."

"But—"

"Hey." Alter's voice softened. "It will be fine. The angels said it is only a trial, didn't they?"

"Like hell I believe that!" Fishia snapped. Her composure cracked, voice breaking. "Great Aunty… I'm not a child anymore!"

Before Alter could respond, Fishia threw herself forward. She clung to Alter, arms wrapped around her waist, and sobbed openly. The sound was raw, unrestrained, echoing across the silent night.

Alter stiffened, caught off guard by the sudden weight against her. Then, her face softened. She raised her hand to carefully pet Fishia's head, just as she had when the girl was young.

The space around them filled with silence. Only the sound of Fishia's muffled crying broke the stillness.

"Silly child," Alter murmured. "Do you still remember? Aunty used to pet your head like this to help you fall asleep."

"Nn…" Fishia trembled. She lifted her face, meeting Alter's eyes with her own tear-filled ones. "How can I forget? Every time my mom was mad at me, or my brother bullied me, I always ran to you. You always protected me. Aunty Morvena too! Then Mom said that… that if you two kept shielding me like that, then she would stop being my mother and you would be my mothers instead!"

"Haha, yeah." Alter laughed, a soft, airy sound. "And to think that you were not only unscared but happy at that idea! Your mom got real mad! "

Fishia choked, burying her face into Alter's chest once more.

"Nn…" She nodded against the fabric. "Because I love you as much as I love my mom."

Slowly, Alter's smile softened into something bittersweet.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" she said quietly. "And look at you two… all grown up."

She lifted her free arm and opened it toward Purigon.

For a brief moment, the young king hesitated. Then he stepped forward. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling both her and Fishia into a tight embrace, as though afraid that if he loosened his grip, she might disappear.

"But to me…" Alter murmured, "You're still my little kitties."

That was all it took.

Purigon's composure shattered. His shoulders began to shake, and tears spilled freely down his face. He cried silently at first, then the stream became unstoppable. The king, who had stood firm before armies and carried the weight of a nation, broke down like a child in her arms.

"Please… Great Aunty…" he choked out. "Please… don't go…"

Fishia clung to her just as tightly, her fingers gripping the fabric of Alter's clothes.

Alter said nothing. She simply rested her hand on their heads, gently stroking their hair. Her silence said everything.

Nearby, Azraphael watched the scene unfold. She remained still, her expression unreadable, though a quiet sigh escaped her lips.

Time passed. Eventually, the sobbing began to fade, leaving behind uneven breaths and trembling silence. Fishia was the last to loosen her grip, her arms reluctant, resisting the inevitable.

Then, slowly, Purigon pulled back.

"Great Aunty…" He wiped at his face, though his voice remained unsteady. "Before you go… may I ask for something?"

Alter tilted her head, a faint, teasing smile returning to her lips. "Yes? Your Majesty?"

There was a hint of curiosity in her gaze. It had been a long time since Purigon last asked anything of her. The last time she could remember, he had still been a boy, demanding to learn Chaos Tempest as a birthday gift.

What could he possibly want now?

Purigon glanced at Fishia. The two exchanged a brief look.

Then they nodded.

"A duel," Purigon said.

Alter blinked. "A duel?"

Both siblings stepped back at once. They straightened their posture, placed a hand over their chest, and bowed in unison.

"Great Aunty," they said together, voices firm despite the lingering emotion, "we request a battle with you. We want to show you… how much we have grown."

For a moment, there was only silence.

Then, Alter let out a short laugh.

"Haha… what is this?" She sounded amused. "It's just a duel. You don't need to be so formal. You almost made me think you were about to ask for something outrageous!"

"No," Purigon replied. "We only want one more duel with you."

Alter studied them for a brief second. Then she smiled.

"Alright."

Her hand lifted slightly to the side. At once, the greatsword resting nearby trembled, then flew straight back into her grasp with a sharp, ringing sound.

"Then get ready," she said.

Fishia drew her blade, her stance firm despite the redness still lingering in her eyes.

"Great Aunty," she declared, determination burning through her voice, "this time… we will defeat you!"

Alter let out a low chuckle.

"Oh? Such bold words," she said, raising her sword with ease. Her gaze sharpens. "Then you two! Come at me with everything you have!"