Chapter 20

“Who are you, and why are you siding with that misfortune, huh?!” Piggy angrily asked.Aurus ignored the fat leader’s question. He slightly turned his head toward Gaia’s direction. He noticed her pale complexion and weakened eyes.“How are you feeling, Gaia? Are you alright?” he asked with worry evident in his voice.“Why are you here, Aurus? Where is Brie?” she asked in return, concern coloring her voice.Aurus smiled faintly. He appeared cold and indifferent on the outside, but beneath that expression, he was deeply worried about the child’s situation.“Brie is safe, Gaia. She is with me here, and she is only hiding so she won’t get caught up in this mess.”“I wish you hadn’t come here, Aurus. I don’t want you to get dragged into my misfortune… argh!”Aurus immediately became alert when she groaned loudly and nearly collapsed. He quickly grabbed her by the waist and pulled her against his chest. The deep worry on his face was undeniable, but there was nothing he could do at that mom

Last Updated : 2026-08-19

Chapter 21

As night fell, Gaia, Aurus, and Brie remained in the woman’s cave dwelling. Aurus built a fire and boiled some dried red fruit for her to drink. The woman began to feel better, and her strength returned to normal. Once he was sure she was all right, Aurus went out to look for food. She and Brie were left behind with Chief Piggy, who was unconscious and tied up. Aurus had put him to sleep earlier because he would not stop making noise. He had offered all sorts of bribes in exchange for his freedom, but they did not pay any attention to a single one of them.Brie was sitting across from Gaia, facing the blazing fire in the middle of the cave, when the child spoke.“M-Mother, I’m sorry if I said something bad. I didn’t mean to,” Brie said softly, her head bowed.From the dim firelight, Gaia watched Brie. There seemed to be nothing that could stop the child from calling her Mother, so she simply ignored it. She could still see that the child’s eyes were swollen from crying so much the day

Last Updated : 2026-08-20

Chapter 22

Gaia noticed Aurus’s carefree reaction. He sat upright and looked at her.“You’re wrong, Gaia. I don’t regret what I did. I know the consequences of staying here, and I’m still hoping that I’ll have a place to return to in Urvularia. If I don’t, that won’t be a problem. I can live as an ordinary person without any position or responsibilities. You also can’t force me to leave Forbideria. As you said, anyone can only leave your kingdom once. In our kingdom, Forbideria is known as the Forbidden Kingdom, and no one knows how to enter it. There are also rumors that this place is cursed, and the defenses surrounding Forbideria are astounding. Strong winds and raging waves protect it from outsiders. Perhaps Tana isn’t the only reason we were able to enter this place. Maybe I’m destined to stay here to accompany you, and I also have a strong feeling that I’m connected to this place.”Gaia was slightly taken aback by Aurus’s last statement. She wasn’t the only one who felt a connection to For

Last Updated : 2026-08-21

Chapter 23

Gaia could see the happiness on the people’s faces as they received the money and food. She was happy too, especially when some of them thanked her and smiled at her. She had never experienced anything like that before, and she believed that the lives of the people in Atar would finally change. However, they did not expect the castle soldiers to arrive. The soldiers pushed their way through the crowd, with Sigmundo and the masked man walking through the middle. They slowly backed away and squeezed into the crowd, hoping not to be noticed.“Excuse me, gentlemen, but who are you?” Mr. Toko asked politely, having no idea who the newcomers were.“It’s strange that you don’t recognize us,” the masked man said playfully.“I’m sorry, sir, but this is the first time I’ve seen you.”The masked man burst into laughter before sitting down on an empty chair beside the crates of fruit. He picked up an apple and took a bite.“See if that fat leader is still alive,” he ordered Sigmundo.Gaia noticed

Last Updated : 2026-08-22

Chapter 24

Aurus sat up straight at what he heard.“Are you sure, Gaia? Do you know where the ingredients are located?”“I remember what was written in Grandma Claro’s book, but I’m not sure if those kinds of plants still exist in this kingdom. They may have already been wiped out, just like the red-fruited tree, but I’ll still try.”Aurus smiled, unable to hide his happiness at Gaia’s decision.“I’m glad you’ve decided to look for the ingredients. I’m happy that you want to get better from your illness, Gaia.”Gaia turned her gaze toward him. Her eyes had gone cold again as she looked at him. It felt as though she had returned to treating him like a stranger.“Who said I’m looking for the ingredients so I can get better? I’m doing this so you’ll finally stop pestering me, Aurus. Once you find out that the plants we’re looking for no longer exist, you’ll leave me alone and stop staying by my side. Just think of it as me doing this so your sacrifice won’t have been in vain,” she said before turni

Last Updated : 2026-08-23

Chapter 25

Aurus urged the horse forward at full speed, but he could still hear the hoofbeats of the horses pursuing them nearby. They still had not managed to put much distance between themselves and the soldiers because the latter’s horses were naturally fast. Their speed was further reduced by the carriage being pulled behind their horse. They could remove the carriage, but it would certainly be difficult. They might be caught by their enemies even faster if they did so.“Turn the horse to the right, Aurus!” Gaia shouted, and he immediately followed her command.Aurus pulled the horse’s reins, turning it to the right. He noticed the words Riyam Division written on a wooden sign. Perhaps they had entered the territory of another division, but he had yet to see any gates in the area, and the soldiers were still relentlessly pursuing them.“Mother, they’re getting close,” Brie said.Aurus glanced briefly behind them. Brie was right. The soldiers were already close. At any moment, they could rele

Last Updated : 2026-08-24