In a beautifully furnished room worthy of a princess, a young white-haired girl looked at herself anxiously through the help of a full-body mirror.


    She was wearing a short ck flowing skirt and a white short-sleeved shirt. Her attire waspleted by a white sun hat, giving her the appearance of a youngdy from a rich family.


    "Do you think he will like it?"


    She said while tugging at the hem of the skirt. "Also, isn''t it a little too shameless to wear such a short skirt?"


    A snicker sounded from behind her making the white-haired girl blush heavily.


    There, on a queen-sized bed, a pink-haired young girl was seated with a smile on the side.


    "It''s your fault for staying in the seal for so long. Fashion doesn''t stop you know. Look at me!"


    "This is exactly because I am looking at you that I am worried. Your fashion sense had always been wed even back then."


    "Hey! My fashion sense isn''t wed. I just like this color. Compared to ck, green, or–red, it packs quite a punch right?"


    Edea sensed the pause at the color. Making her expression copse a little. Sighing a little, she asked,


    "The news you shared about Sister is really reliable? She really joined the other side?"


    Freya frowned a little,


    "I am sure it''s just a mistake. There is no way she would do so. Mother just wants me to find her and ascertain the situation."


    Shaking her head, her usual frivolous smile came back as she jumped from the bed and came behind Medea before cupping her breasts over the clothes.


    "Anyway leave Kali to me. You should worry about your date first. Thepetition is pretty high. Even more with your childish body."


    Medea blushed as she twisted her body to leave Freya''s grasp.


    "I am not that small!"


    "Hahaha~! Indeed. Size-wise you are quite normal whenpared to a normal teen girl. But whenpared to women like that little Camelia, Milia, or Lilith you still have a long way to go."


    Medea groaned at that. This was something she could do nothing against. It was already a miracle that she could have pushed her development to at least look like a teen woman. After all, normally a witch didn''t look any different to a preteen.


    After ying enough, Freya ced her chin on Medea''s head, her eyes full showing aplex light.


    p "I know I already asked this, but, are you serious about all this?"</anda>


    Freya wouldn''t have been worried if it was just a fling. The curse of the witch wasn''t really a problem if they just went out with long-living races like demons or elves and if they just did it one or two times.


    There were always some weird guys who wanted to try new things even if it meant losing some lifespan.


    Aside from that, some unscrupulous witches didn''t really care if they stole the full lifespan of their partners and simply went wild.


    But the situation with Medea was different. No matter how you viewed it. The rtionship between the two of them wasn''t a fling and since Sol was a half-dragon, his lifespan should be counted in thousands of years.


    Medea fell silent for a short while. "I would be lying if I said I wasn''t afraid."


    Even now, the betrayal of Jupiter still stung the deepest part of her heart. But,


    "I want to give it a chance."


    Nothing would change if she just continued to cry and fear.


    "Do you really love him?"


    This was a hard question for Medea. Her rtionship with Sol was still a little blurry.


    "I… I don''t really know to be honest. But, when I am with him, I am happy. I feel loved and appreciated. I feel rxed and know I can be myself without any facade."


    What is love?


    This was a very hard question. Everyone had a different perspective of love and different reasons to fall in love.


    Still, as she remembered his passionate confession, her heart couldn''t help but skip a beat and her face heated up considerably.


    Freya didn''t miss this reaction and gave a bitter smile.


    "Well, I guess your feelings will be fixed very soon."


    At the end of the day, she was just a big sister. Thankfully, Sol seemed way more trustworthy than Jupiter and he didn''t have the same egotistical arrogance.


    What''s more, she had to admit that he wasn''t bad at all.


    ''How long ago was myst rtionship?''


    She didn''t really remember. She wasn''t particrly interested in men''s women''s rtionship and after trying it a few times over the centuries to understand what was the big deal about it. The result was a little disappointing.


    But more than anything,


    ''I wonder what it feels like to be a mother.''


    This was the greatest question no witches could ever answer. Though perhaps not for long.


    Thinking about that, she smiled mischievously and whispered something to Medea''s ear, making the witch of Time do the impossible and blush more than ever.


    ----


    Meanwhile, in another ce in the capital of Lustburg, in the castle belonging to the Traver family, a short overweight man was patiently listening to a young man wearing armor.


    "So the dinner with the prince went well and he convened with the Duke out of prying eyes?"


    "..."


    "I see. Ohohoh~! Seems like the prince got the support of that old man or is it the opposite? Well, no matter. This isn''t particrly surprising."


    Despite his amusing and round form. The Duke Traver wasn''t someone who could be underestimated. After all, the only way to be Duke in their family was to outss everyone as a merchant using any way possible.


    Bribing, threatening, assassination, alliance, betrayal, begging. He stopped at nothing and rose from the least favored situation to the most favorable one. His name was Hermes. Duke Hermes Traver.


    Next to Hermes, a short but obviously mature woman asked with a small smile. "So, little boy, what will you do?"


    The Duke gave a bitter smile at this question. Ideally, he wished to have been neutral in this situation. After all, they were merchants. They were also the direct link to Greed Dike and as such many important trades.


    But, he didn''t reach his current position by luck. It was thanks to a power of his. Somethings not particrly powerful but terribly useful. He simply called it.


    <<Gambler’s Instinct>>


    It was a skill that had saved his life and his business many times, and right now, right here, that skill was screaming at him.


    Do not stand opposite to the royal family.


    Do not stay neutral.


    Every time he even slightly entertained the thought of going against it, goosebumps would cover his body.


    Sagging a little in his seat, he sighed, "No need to fret aunt Theresa. I will take care of it."


    The short mature woman, Theresa, smiled gracefully.


    Inwardly though,


    ''I was too ashamed to finally meet my godson without at least a fitting gift. This should do, right? Or perhaps I should really give him some property outside of Lustburg?''


    ---


    Theresa Gustav. Daughter of Mongov Gustav and oldpanion of Mars Lustburg.


    She wasn''t a genius fighter like Lilith.


    She wasn''t a powerful healer like Camelia.


    She did not have the power of ze


    Neither did she have the knowledge of Persephone.


    Then howe was she able to stand out in such a group?


    The answer was simple. Theresa Gustav was rich. Very very rich.


    And she felt no hesitations in using that money.