The next morning, Ocean, Silas and Alys sat in Ocean’s study.

"No," Alys spoke as soon as Ocean mentioned about her making a public appearance.

Silas sighed, it was obvious that he hadn’t slept all night pondering about this and Ocean couldn’t help but feel bad for him.

He studied Alys’s firm expression for a moment before he decided that it was time to show her the reality.

"Archmage, can you please step out?" Ocean spoke and Silas frowned a bit looking at him and then at Alys.

Alys also exchanged looks with him before asking Ocean, "Why?"

"Don’t you trust me anymore?" Ocean asked and Alys blinked before she lowered her eyes.

Ocean then glanced at Silas and then at Roan, "Roan, take him to the guest room."

"Why guest room? I’ll be right outside." Silas said and Ocean looked at him up and down.

"Considering how you look right now, it’s for the best that you catch some sleep. I’ll take care of this." Ocean said gesturing at Alys.

Silas pursed his lips and Ocean gave him a reassuring nod with an unspoken, "leave everything to me now."

Silas lingered for only a moment and glanced once at Alys before he stepped out with Roan.

Once the door was closed, Ocean leaned ahead in his seat placing his arms on his thighs while entwining his fingers in between.

"Your Highness, do you remember the night that I found you?" Ocean started and Alys looked at him.

"A-Are you going to use your favor of saving my life to make me come forth before the world?" She asked and Ocean smiled gently.

"No, I’m just reminding you of the persistence that you had at that time to survive." He clarified.

"I still have it." She spoke firmly and Ocean shook his head, his eyes never leaving hers.

"No, you don’t." He spoke making her frown.

"I do!" She insisted and Ocean’s eyes grew icier making her shudder.

In an instant, an icy dagger appeared in Ocean’s hand and he leapt at Alys, making her scream and bolt out of her seat heading straight for the door. The ice dagger sliced through the air and embedded itself into the wood just inches from her head and she froze.

Alys felt her heart thunder in her chest and the blood rushing away from her face. She slowly turned to look at Ocean who stood in his spot looking as if an icy sculpture had formed in his spot.

Alys stood rooted near the door, trembling like a leaf caught in a storm, her back pressed against the door as her eyes were wide with fear.

Ocean remained silent for a long moment before he spoke, "The moment you realised that you had someone else to protect you, you lost your strength to fight for yourself, Alys."

Alys couldn’t move, she only stared at Ocean.

Ocean sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "I didn’t want to use this method but I guess the royal blood always needs the extreme ways to make them realise their flaws."

Alys gulped, tears were starting to stream down her flushed cheeks and her lower lip quivered as she sniffled.

Ocean sighed and then shook his head, "Whom do you not trust anymore, Your Highness? Your fiance who’s the Archmage and holds the authority to protect you from the power of the nobles or myself, a Dragon capable of turning this whole kingdom into dust?"

Alys opened her mouth and then closed it back, her tears not stopping. Ocean sighed, having no choice as he moved his hand up to his earstud.

"Will you trust someone who appears just as weak then?" Ocean asked and Alys blinked before she saw Ocean’s body being enveloped in the soft blue light.

Her eyes were as wide as saucers when the glow faded and she nearly felt the strength in her legs leaving her.

"Y-You... You..." She gasped as she saw the familiar snow-white haired beautiful young lady standing before her now.

"I had to tell you about this sooner or later when you became a part of the family. But considering you still aren’t able to trust us fully, I guess this is my only way now, Aunt Alys." Reina said.

Alys couldn’t believe her eyes as she saw Reina standing before her eyes right in the spot where Ocean had been standing. She flinched as Reina moved and approached her. She simply watched as Reina came and stopped right in front of her.

Alys’s eyes followed Reina’s pristine, ivory fingers reaching out and brushing away the tears that were over her cheeks. She could vividly feel the touch but her pupils were trembling badly and she still couldn’t wrap her head around it.

She had known Ocean Ryujin for a while now, she knew for a fact that he was a man, and he had his made his empire in the shadows from the scratch. He had hundreds of people who depended on him and swore loyalty to him. He was the man who could shake the foundations of the kingdom. And moreover, he was a Dragon. So why was Reina here?

Alys reached out thinking that maybe it was a dream, she gingerly touched Reina’s cheek and felt the soft warm touch beneath her fingers. She gulped as she met the blue orbs, the same ones that she had just seen moments ago.

Ocean and Reina’s eyes were the same. The same enigmatic and inhumanly beautiful eyes that couldn’t belong to just anyone. The blue rings which seemed to carry a different shade of blue shimmered like jewels and the pupils that instead of round looked more like slits.

Her heart nearly jumped out of her throat as she realised that the man who had been protecting her all along was a girl, younger than her all along. Or was it?

"H-How... Reina... you..." Alys couldn’t form any words and Reina held her hand gently in hers.

"It really is me, Aunt Alys. I’m Reina, the same one whom you know. And I’m also Ocean Ryujin. The man who found you and has been protecting you ever since."

Alys felt her brain lagging with the information and she shook her head making her blonde hair moving along with the movement.

"So... You... You..." Alys tried forming words out of her thoughts that ran like a raging river.

Reina nodded regardless, "Yes, I’ve been maintaining the dual identities since I was ten years old. And I have Prince Eric and his supposedly deceased mother under my wing and yes, I have been involved in every dangerous thing you can think of."

Alys was one step away from fainting after hearing all this.

Silas, on the other hand, was pacing around the room while Roan stood near the door leaning his back against the wall and arms crossed at his chest.

"Why don’t you take a nap while they talk, Archmage?" Roan suggested.

He had only one look at Silas’ face and knew that if this man didn’t get any sleep he would go on a rampage.

"How could I fall asleep when everything is so stressful?" Silas said and Roan observed him.

"What are you so stressed about?" He asked making Silas scowl at him. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Don’t you know what’s going on? Another demon has appeared and Re-Ocean might be in danger again!" Silas said and Roan tilted his head.

"Did you see Master getting worried while you were in there, Archmage?" Roan asked.

"You don’t understand!" Silas almost shouted.

"No, it’s you who doesn’t understand." Roan said.

Silas scowled, one spell away from throwing Roan out of the room. But Roan wasn’t bothered, even if Silas was Ocean/Reina’s family, Roan had stuck by Ocean’s side for four years, had been good friends with him and also, after knowing that Ocean/Reina was a Dragon. It only added to the respect that he had for Ocean/Reina.

"The person we’re talking about is no normal human," he said, "I know you see him for his real form but I too, see him for his real form. The difference is that you see him as your young niece and I see him as one of the Supreme Dragons who is capable of turning the tides of this world."

Silas stared at Roan who spoke with the unflinching tone of certainty.

"Do you even know what happened the last time Reina went up against a demon?" Silas asked.

Roan nodded, "Yes, I know and I also know for a fact that he had made a choice not because he was weak but because the demon was weak and had to use Master’s weakness. But still, we all know what happened next."

Silas ran a hand through his hair, "Well, you all will think that she will be fine all along since she’s not your-"

Silas stopped short and Roan stared at him for a moment. Silas didn’t complete his words but it was clear what he wanted to say and it stung Roan in the chest. It stung enough for him to stare icily at the Archmage and tell him.

"She may not be related to us by blood, Archmage. But Master is our God. And our faith might just be thicker than your blood."