The time passes as the day in Orario turned to night, the sky has been cleared of the dark clouds, but the Underworld Castle remains floating above. The castle hovers ominously while casting a large shadow to one area of the city below.

Within the Kaiser's Home, in one of the thousand doorways that is located within its hallways. There is one room which has a grand and luxurious bedroom that is occupied by Bell who sat on the large king size bed that is all for himself.

Bell sat silently in the room which is given to him ever since he first came to the Underworld Castle with his father. The young man had an unreadable look on his face because of his father telling him that the girl of his dream was just using him and any potential future that he dreamed off had gone down the drain in an instant.

As the boy ponders in his thoughts, knocking came from the door as Bell slightly turns his head to the side to look and sees that it is Melinoe who came in with a plate filled with a piping hot meat dish which is his dinner.

"looks like you had a big disagreement with Zagreus." Said Melinoe in a casual voice as she went near Bell. "must be something pretty big and deep if you're looking sulky while just staying in your room."

"I don't want to talk about it, Aunt Melinoe…." Bell muttered out while looking down with a frown. "I don't want to talk about it at all…"

Melinoe hears Bell's words and sees his expression as this made the Blade Kaiser place her nephew's dinner to a table near the bed before she went and sat down on the bed beside him.

"You don't want to talk about it, but you sound like you really want to talk about it." said Melinoe as she went and started to stroke Bell's head a few times. "you can talk to me or the others about it, you know? You don't need to keep it down and continue to look sulky. What was the big disagreement that you had with your father?"

"I don't…" Bell spoke out before he pauses and just frowns even more. "it's just….Dad told me that I was tricked and I was being used…..i just…." The young man's eyes started to tear up as his hands gripped his pants. "I just!"

"it's alright, just take it slow." Said Melinoe in a calming voice while patting and stroking her nephew's head multiple times. "Just take it slow and tell me what's wrong."

Bell wipes away his tears with his right arm as he sniffles once before he started to tell Melinoe about what Zagreus told him about Aiz and the fact of him being used by her.

It took about 5 minutes or so for Bell to tell everything to Melinoe who looks at her nephew with an understanding face.

"That Zagreus really needs to read a book about parenting." Melinoe spoke out in a whisper as she sighs while shaking her head. She then looks at Bell. "even though I disapprove of his choice of words for this crush of yours, Bell. I cannot help but agree with his decision in telling you that you shouldn't be with this Aiz Wallenstein." The Blade Kaiser then showed a very serious, stern, and firm face. "she was just using you."

"but she wasn't using me!" Bell cried out in denial. "she is a good friend! She helped me when I was in a dire situation!"

"She is a good friend even though you only met her about a few times?" said Melinoe with an eyebrow quirked. "This Aiz Wallenstein met you a few times and then agreed to help and teach you out of goodwill? Don't you find that a bit peculiarly strange, Bell?" she leans closer to her nephew. "for someone who is a first rank adventurer and is a famed one in Orario, someone like her offered to help you just for free? That is very much something peculiarly strange in many ways."

Bell looks at Melinoe confused before his mind started to process her words and he started to see why it seems strange to many.

"w-well…it did seem strange at first..but…" Bell muttered out. "s-she's really a good friend."

"is she a good friend, Bell?" Melinoe asked. "is she a friend? Or someone who is not?"

Bell went silent for a moment as he soon shakes his head in saying that he doesn't know how to answer her question.

Melinoe looks at her nephew for a moment before she sighs softly and gently combs Bell's hair a few times.

"Bell, listen to me carefully." Melinoe spoke out in a gentle and calm voice. "Zagreus didn't want to upset you with his thoughts about your crush. He just wanted to protect you from getting hurt in any way possible" The Blade Kaiser combs her nephew's hair before gently caressing his head. "your wellbeing is the one thing he prioritize over everything after he lost Meteria those many years ago." The red hair elf's face soon formed a small frown. "you've already faced the betrayal from your Familia, right? It hurt your heart so much, didn't it?"

Bell slowly nods his head in confirmation as Melinoe continues to caress his head before she patted it a few times.

"Bell, you just had a crush on this Aiz Wallenstein. That's not true love." Said Melinoe in a slightly firm voice. "you must be thinking that if you get to be in the same level as her, you would think that she would see you at the same height, right? That's all but a childish crush."

"but….i…Aiz-san…" Bell muttered out

"Bell, we know you like her. but Zagreus is right" Melinoe continued on calmly while stroking her nephew's back. "your love for her is just one sided. Do you really believe that if you get stronger and be on her level; would she even consider seeing you as someone to even like back? Not every woman in this world would love to see a powerful person. Some would be scared, and some would even try to use that powerful individual in any means to gain that power for themselves." The red haired elf then started to frown. "I'm sorry to say this, Bell….….but this Aiz Wallenstein was just selfishly trying to use you for her own selfish desire."

"but…that's….that can't be true…" Bell frowns sadly as he looks down while starting to tear up. "I wanted to stand by her side…just be strong like her…she wouldn't just…how could she?"

"Bell, you have to face the facts." Melinoe stated in. "Aiz Wallenstein has only one wish and that is to get stronger while becoming more powerful. That isn't something very much to be idolized."

"but she just wants to get stronger!" Bell stated while looking at her aunt. "How is that a bad thing!?"

"Bell, that is a bad thing already." Melinoe replied "her inner obsession and her very desire. She just wants to get more powerful and powerful. That way of thinking is like that of a tyrant. Can you really love someone who thinks like that?"

"she…i…" Bell started to choke up as he started to frown even more while his mind is getting a major mind break. The Little Rookie then grabs his head while shaking it a few times "I can't understand anymore!"

Melinoe frowns as she rubs her hand on Bell's back a couple of times to calm him down.

"Bell. Love is something very complicated to understand." Said Melinoe while gently holding Bell's shoulders from behind. "you're still young and the love you have for her was nothing but a crush. It is not real love. You have to understand that." The Blade Kaiser caresses her nephew's back a few times before gently stroking the back of his head. "Listen, there are lots of other women in Orario and in the world who are probably even better than Aiz Wallenstein herself. you can't just be in despair because of her, there was no telling if you were a perfect match for her or not."

"but i….she…that time…she saved me from that minotaur…and…" Bell muttered out before he has a few tears dropping from his eyes. "I just…if she told me…then.."

"Bell, you can't tell her about the Liaris Freese." Said Melinoe in a bit of a stern voice. "that skill was meant only for you to have and to know about. Meteria and Zagreus passed that skill to you in order to save your life when you were still an infant."

"eh?" Bell looks at Melinoe in confusion as the Blade Kaiser frowns a bit sadly.

"14 years ago; when you were an infant. You were a very weak child." Said Melinoe in a soft voice. "Thalia tried to heal and save your life, but it was futile because were born with the same incurable sickness that your mother had and that same sickness nearly consumed her own life." The Blade Kaiser soon let out a small sigh. "Zagreus found a way to regress the sickness by giving away a part of his power, but he could only save one person."

"t-then that means….Mom…" Bell muttered out in a sad voice as Melinoe nods.

"we've told her that her condition was far worse since her body was already weakened from childbirth, we told her that there may be another way to help you, but Meteria pleaded with your father to save your life instead of hers." Melinoe stated as her gaze softens. "in all my years, Meteria is the most selfless person who I have ever come to know. Her decision to sacrifice her own wellbeing for another without any hesitation….she was a mother that no other could compare" She then smiles softly in remembering the young man's mother in her memories. "She was kind, caring, loving, and very much the most strongest woman who we would've gladly gave our life to protect." The Blade Kaiser then glances at Bell while her soft happy smile remains upon her face. "Zagreus could never describe how blessed he was on the day he first met and fell in love with her."

Bell looks at Melinoe with his eyes slightly wide before he closed an eye when Melinoe raises a hand and gently caresses his head.

"Bell, we're not trying to control your life or anything. We just want to keep you safe in accordance with the last promise we made with your mother before she passed away." Melinoe spoke gently and softly. "this is why you should think more carefully of others. This Aiz Wallenstein may have saved you once in the past and had offered to help you get strong, but this doesn't mean that you should tell her about the secret to your strength." She gently placed a finger onto her nephew's chest. "the Liaris Freese is the Skill that helps you get stronger but it is also the skill that is regressing your sickness. This Skill was given to you not only by Zagreus but also by Meteria who sacrificed her own life so that you could grow up and live healthily." The Blade Kaiser lowers her hand and looks at Bell directly. "If you tell this secret to Aiz Wallenstein who may or may not have feelings for you, you'll face a deep and endless amount of regret once you realize what she thinks of you. That is something we don't want to see you face." She then held her nephew's hands. "Please understand, Bell. do not tell anyone else about the Liaris Freese. Honor your mother who had sacrificed her entire being for your sake, alright?"

Bell looks at Melinoe for a moment before he looks down and slowly nods.

"yes…I understand." Said Bell in a soft voice before Melinoe patted and caress his head a few times.

"you'll find the one for you one day, Bell." Melinoe told her nephew while having a smile. "it just takes time, that's all" she then ruffles his hair a few times before she gets off the bed. "trust me. You'll meet the girl of your life, just be patient. Patience always gives the best reward for those who wait."

Bell nods slowly as Melinoe nods back before she takes the meal that she set aside on the table and then handed it to her nephew while waving another hand over the cold dish that soon became warm once again.

"now eat your meal, alright?" Said Melinoe as Bell takes the plate before getting a few head pats from his aunt. "This dish is one of your mother's specialties and something I can very much bet you will definitely like."

"yes, thank you for the meal" said Bell while nodding as Melinoe nods back before she started to walk out of the room to leave her nephew in eating his dinner.


Melinoe exited Bell's room as she closed the door and starts walking in the hallway where she soon meets Zagreus who stands by a window looking to the night sky outside before he glanced at her.

"Nobody ever said that being a parent is easy, you know?" said Melinoe as she went and passes Zagreus. "Bell will come around. It just takes time."

"How can you be so sure?" Zagreus asked as Melinoe stops before she turns her head to look at her brother who is slowly having a small frown on his face. "I was only able to raise him as an infant with Meteria. Without her, i…"

"you'll learn soon enough." Said Melinoe with a smile. "you're a Kaiser and his father after all." she then turns and looks front. "I'm very sure that you'll be a great father that Meteria had known you could always be."

Zagreus looks at Melinoe for a moment before he looks down at his right hand that he raised near his face.

"Can I really be his father after what I've become?" Zagreus asked as he glanced back at Melinoe who smiles and just shrugs her shoulders.

"you could or you could not." Melinoe replied as she turns and started to walk away. "I can't tell you which because Meteria had already said that you definitely could." She then turns her head and showed a smile to her brother. "she's always right about many things, remember?"

Zagreus looks at Melinoe as the Blade Kaiser continues to smile before she turns her head and continues to walk within the hallway.

The Bloody Kaiser watches his sister leave before he turns to look to the night sky outside. Zagreus looks at the stars and the full moon as he gazes right at it.

Flashback

Somewhere in the middle of the night, Zagreus is sitting on a chair near a window and is looking to the night sky outside while gazing right at the Full moon. The Kaiser isn't wearing his armor, but a plain looking black long-sleeved shirt, and jeans that gives him a typical villager appearance.

The Kaiser is currently in a wooden cabin of a home somewhere that is quiet as the night.

Zagreus gazes at the full moon before he hears some noises that made him turn and get off his seat. The Kaiser quietly walks to a door from which small discomfort whimpering sounds were heard coming from.

He opens the door slowly and quietly then enters a room that has a bed, table, cupboard filled with stored food, a fireplace, and a window that is opened to allow cold air to enter the room.

Zagreus went in and turned towards the bed where the source of the noises is coming from.

There lying and resting on the bed is Meteria who is tending to her infant child Bell who she cradled closely in her arms. The child was whimpering in his sleep and looks like he was going to cry from a nightmare.

"it's alright….it's alright…" Meteria whispered to her child as she held him close and then kisses his forehead while patting his back gently. "Mama is with you….Papa is with you…everything is alright, Bell. the bad dream won't hurt you."

Zagreus went to Meteria as he placed a hand over his son's head and his eyes glows. Bell continues to whimper in his sleep before the child calms down and sleeps peacefully.

"Thank you…Zagreus." Meteria thanked the Kaiser with a loving smile before she looks down to her child whose back she caresses and strokes several times. "Bell would've cried if you didn't help him in his dreams."

"I merely used a mind calming spell." Said Zagreus in a soft voice as he looks at Bell. "You would've been able to calm him down even if I didn't use it."

"What are you saying?" Meteria asked with a smile. "it takes both a mother and a father to calm down their child. Bell calmed down because you're with us."

Zagreus looks at Meteria a bit confused before he hears small cooing noises as he looks down and sees that Bell had woken up and is waving one of his little hands towards him.

"seems that Bell wants you to sleep with us." Said Meteria with a loving smile to her child as she leans down and gives a peck to Bell's forehead that made the baby giggle to his mother. The white haired woman then looks at Zagreus. "come on, Zagreus. Sleep with us."

"He merely waked up and cooed at me. He doesn't desire to sleep with myself by your side." Said Zagreus while gently taking Bell's little hand. "he is just being the child that he is."

"he is a child, our child." Said Meteria with a smile as she gently takes Zagreus' hand. "and I know very well that he wants you to sleep with us. A mother can always tell and I am always right, remember?"

Zagreus looks at Meteria before to Bell who is just cooing to him with a little hand waving around.

The Kaiser looks at the child for a moment to see his expectant eyes and that made his lips formed a small smile.

Zagreus gets on the bed gently as Meteria held Bell close to her before the two were scooped into a protective hug by the Kaiser.

Bell cooed to his father who gently caresses and strokes his head that made him smile and giggle.

Zagreus smiles to his son before he looks at Meteria who smiles lovingly to him in return. The mother then leans close to the father and closed her eyes while holding her child close.

The Kaiser held Meteria close as he soon closed his eyes while his right hand holds the white haired woman's left hand which has a silver ring on her ring finger that glows from receiving light by the moon outside.

Flashback

At the present time, Zagreus looks down to his right hand as he holds the same silver ring that Meteria once wore in the past.

Zagreus gently caresses the ring in his possession as he looks at it with a sense of longing in his eyes.

"You were always right in everything, Meteria." Zagreus whispered as he grasped the ring in his hand and then looks at the full moon that gets covered and its radiant glow blocked by the clouds which caused a bit of darkness to the Kaiser who is soon revealed to have Meteria's spirit floating behind him and is hugging the half elf from behind "always…"

The transparent yet glowing white woman held and leans close to Zagreus while speaking out in a multiple yet incomprehensible, whispering, and echoing voice that couldn't be understood at all.

Zagreus listens to her voice before his lips formed a small smile.

"a Kaiser is always right…" Zagreus whispered as he gently placed his right hand upon the white woman's arms and caresses them a few times. "but not one with a wife, right?"

Meteria let out soft whispering yet echoing giggling sounds that is mixed with laughing as she lets go of Zagreus and floats in front of him, she then proceeds to give him a mouthless peck on his forehead and then his right cheek before she disappears into thin air when the clouds blocking the full moon moves away and letting it shines its radiant glow to the castle.

Zagreus looks to where the white Spirit had disappeared to before he turns and then walks within the Underworld Castle's hallway in complete silence while his shadow that follows beside him had the complete demonic shape that has a glowing cross shaped eye which was burning red.


Meanwhile at the location where the Twilight Manor once stood. The Loki Familia were camping around their broken-down Home as they had no where to stay for the moment.

The members were camping for the night as they huddled close to one another while trying to sleep even though they have scared and nervous faces.

By the once stood gate that is now destroyed, Finn is sitting on a large rubble rock with Gareth near him.

"This is without a doubt a time of fear and terror for our Familia." Finn muttered out as he has a frown on his face. "The Kaisers have returned to Orario and have declared our Familia as enemies instead of comrades."

"This is a very bad position that we have right now." Gareth stated while crossing his arms and looks down with a rather grim look. "There is nothing that we can do that would make the Kaisers change their decision. Every one of our members are targeted and there is nothing we can do."

"nothing at all." Finn added in as the two look grim and are frowning with troubled faces.

At the same time, Aiz along with Tione, Tiona, and Lefiya came by as they saw the two executives at where they are.

"Captain? What's wrong?" Tione called out as the group went near. "are you alright?"

"we're fine, Tione." Said Finn with a small smile. "we were just thinking on what could we do to protect our Familia from the Kaisers' wrath."

"it's because of Zagreus Kaiser who came earlier today, huh?" said Tiona with a slight frown on her face. "I get that two of their members are members of the Zeus and Hera Familia and all, but why do they got to so angry at all of us? I mean, isn't it obvious that a weakened Familia would get taken out by a stronger one, right?"

"be careful with your words, Tiona." Riveria spoke out as the high elf came into the scene while having a stern look on her face. "if you speak those words when a Kaiser is near, you will learn the true meaning of 'fear' from them."

"Riveria-sama, are you alright?" Lefiya asked.

"I'm fine." Riveria replied as prior to the conversation, she was unconscious in the Bloody Kaiser's arms. "I just needed rest after what had happened." She then sighs. "I was lucky that the Kaisers spared my life when our Home crumbled."

"are they so angry that they had to destroy our Home like this?" said Aiz as she glance back at the rubble which was once their Home.

"to be correct, their anger is more directed to Loki." Said Gareth as he and the others glanced to the side and sees Loki who is bawled up at a corner while covering herself with a blanket. "the Kaisers once trusted our Familia to keep Orario safe when they left. The fact that when they return; they learned that Zeus and Hera Familia who they were close friends with are now gone because of our goddess who banished one of the two gods….their anger is more of an avenging anger than a hatred anger."

"that is something we can understand, but there is something strange that has been bothering me." Said Lefiya as everyone looks at the elven mage.

"What is it?" Riveria asked her apprentice.

"well, ever since Makaria Kaiser came to our Home the recent days before. I've been wondering on why the Kaisers left Orario in the first place?" Lefiya replied with a rather confused tone. "I mean, if they're Orario's protectors in the past, why would they even leave in the first place?"

This made a valid question for Aiz and the others who are looking curious but for Finn, Riveria, and Gareth; they look rather sad and guilty.

"you guys…know, don't you?" Tiona asked to the trio who slowly nods their heads.

"The Kaisers had left Orario nearly 15 years ago in the event of Zeus and Hera Familia's downfall in their last quest." Finn spoke out as he turns and leans against the rails. "the group left Orario to avenge the failure of their comrade."

"wait a minute, Captain. you said that they left to avenge Zeus and Hera Familia's downfall, right?" said Tione with a rather surprised look. "wouldn't that mean that the Kaisers left to fight the…!"

"….The Black Dragon!" Aiz spoke out with widened eyes.

"yes, the Black Dragon." Said Riveria with a nod. "The Kaisers left to avenge Zeus and Hera Familia in their failure to slay the Black Dragon."

"t-that's insane!" Tiona exclaimed with a bewildered look. "The books never said anything about the Kaisers leaving to slay the Black Dragon! Wait! Does that mean that they actually did it!? did they slay the Black Dragon!?"

Hearing Tiona's words made a look of shock to fill Aiz's eyes.

"we don't know." Finn replied while shaking his head. "the Kaisers returned without telling anyone if they succeeded in completing the Three Great Quest or not." He then crosses his arms while cupping his chin. "it is anyone's guess if the Kaisers really did complete it."

"damn….that's just crazy." Tione muttered out. "for a familia that only has 8 adventurers….they went to fight and possibly survive against the one monster that had destroyed millions who failed to defeat it…that's damn crazy."

"It isn't crazy once you considered that it's the Kaisers who left to fight it." said Gareth as he soon sighs. "The Kaisers have achieved and completed many heroic feats that made them legends. For anyone to hear that they had gone to fight a legendary monster of the past is nothing new. The Kaisers have fought and slayed creatures far ancient than the Black Dragon after all."

"I believe that is enough talking." Said Finn as everyone looks at the pallum. "it's getting late and we all should get some rest."

"yeah, it is getting late." Gareth replied before he sighs. "we can think about the Kaisers later tomorrow."

The group soon bid each other goodbye as they all started to leave for their tents. But there is a look of desperation and anxiousness in Aiz's eyes as she followed Tiona, Tione, and Lefiya.

the Sword Princess looking very deep in thought.

'They fought against that monster…' Aiz spoke within her heart as an old and bad memory started to resurface into her mind. 'They must know about my mother…'


That's a wrap!

Bye bye