Meriande raised an eyebrow as a gust of wind swept the ashes from the room, carrying them out through the open window.

The windows slammed shut on their own, and the burnt smell vanished. In the next instant, a sound barrier enveloped the entire office.

“You speak as if you aren’t an elf yourself,” Meriande chuckled.

“I’m a Grey Elf, just like Nhiria is a Grey Dragon,” Miralyn replied, flashing a teasing smile.

“It’s good to see you finally out of your room. It’s been a while. I thought your depression would take you away from me.” Meriande confessed, her voice almost betrayed her effort to conceal her emotions.

“I’m sorry, Mom…” Miralyn’s voice cracked, the weight of grief pressing against her chest.

She clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms as she fought back the burning in her eyes. “I thought I had lost everything that made life worth living. If you hadn’t been here…” Her breath hitched. “I would have followed Garuth into the void.”

“But this…” Breathing deeply, she recomposed herself and continued, “This has shown me that I still have enough reason to live and keep evolving. As he will need me.”

She pointed at the message Nhiria had sent to the entire galaxy, one that was not censored for her and Meriande.

“So, have you come to ask for my permission to leave?” Meriande asked, already knowing the answer.

“No, Mom. I’m here to tell you that I’m leaving. I’m no longer the crown princess by the Sacred Tree’s decree. I’m no longer part of the succession race. The only thing holding me here now… is you.” Miralyn’s gaze softened, pleading for understanding, knowing how lonely her mother had been.

“Sigh… You don’t have to worry about me. Those two are still cultivating on top of the tree, and your aunt should be returning from the Southern Continent soon.” As Meriande spoke, Miralyn felt a small sense of relief.

With her uncles and aunt nearby, her mother would not be so alone.

Meriande continued, “But you know that by doing this, you’ll be putting him at risk, right?”

Miralyn nodded and reached into her spatial ring, pulling out a mask. “I still have this artifact. No one will recognize me.”

The artifact was known as the Mask of Magnus, capable of altering one’s appearance in such a way that anyone weaker than the person who activates it would be unable to see through it.

“Can you activate it for me, Mom?” Miralyn asked, her eyes wide with a pleading look, knowing that her mother and best friend would never refuse her request.

“I think I’ve spoiled you too much. But since your sisters act even more spoiled than you. I suppose this much is fine.” Meriande chuckled again.

When alone with her daughters or grandchildren, her usual coldness and ruthlessness melted away, and she became someone else entirely.

“But you still underestimate me, Mira. You left many loose ends behind, and your plans to leave have already leaked. I believe the Elder Council will use this opportunity to finish you.”

Miralyn stiffened, her mind racing. ‘Impossible. No one should have known.’

“But don’t worry.” Meriande’s lips curled into a knowing smile as she placed a golden spatial ring in Miralyn’s palm, its green gemstones glinting under the dim light. “I have taken care of everything. This should be enough to nurture him well. We’ll still use your plan as a decoy, but you will use mine to leave.”

Meriande raised her hand, and stepping from the shadows, a figure identical to Miralyn appeared, kneeling before them.

“She will be the Miralyn who leaves through this door, while you will use the secret passage and meet the squad I’ve handpicked for your and for my grandson’s safety. They will escort you to a secret teleportation platform outside the city and accompany you to Norwinter, where people will be waiting for you.”

As Meriande explained, Miralyn felt a sense of relief and happiness knowing she could trust her mother’s careful planning.

“One more thing,” Meriande continued. “I’ve been keeping an eye on him through Hannah. She’s living there. Will you be alright living close to her?”

Meriande’s concern was understandable, given that Garuth, Hannah’s son, had been Miralyn’s fiancé before his death.

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“Yes, I expected as much. Only someone as capable as Hannah could guide my son to this level.” Miralyn spoke with sincerity, not intending to sound arrogant.

It was clear to her that Hilda’s family didn't have the resources to nurture Sokram to his full potential.

Meriande chuckled, shaking her head. “You underestimate them, Mira. The Androny family is no common household. They’re Norwinter’s wealthiest, and their Matriarch’s influence stretches far beyond what you might think.”

She leaned forward, eyes gleaming with warning. “Tread carefully. If you walk in there acting superior, you might push Sokram away instead of bringing him closer.”

“I see. I’ll be careful not to insult anyone. I don’t want my son to hate me.” Miralyn wasn’t concerned about taking Sokram away from his family; her intention was to help them nurture him.

“Take care of yourself. I’ll prepare to meet my grandson in the future without raising suspicion. But until then, I won’t be able to offer more assistance.” Meriande opened the secret passage for her daughter to leave.

Miralyn embraced her mother, gratitude filling her heart. “Thank you, Mom. I’ll be careful. I promise you. The next time we meet, Sokram will be with me.”

With that, she stepped into the secret passage, leaving Meriande alone. The empress's smile faded, replaced by a sigh of sadness as the weight of her daughter's departure settled heavily on her chest.

Then, Meriande’s eyes narrowed with cold calculation.

The warmth that had once softened her features vanished, leaving only the steely empress that the world feared.

Turning around, her gaze met Miralyn’s lookalike, and she ordered her to proceed with the decoy plan.

Left alone in her office, Meriande stood in silence, her gaze lingering on the empty space her daughter had occupied.

The weight of Miralyn’s decision pressed heavily on her chest.

For a moment, the future of their planet seemed fragile, teetering on the edge as the seeds of calamity began to take root once more.

The ripples of Miralyn’s departure would extend far beyond their family. The threats they faced were no longer confined to the Elder Council.

This was the first time Miralyn would venture beyond the palace’s protective walls.

Meriande had handpicked the finest members of the imperial guard. She could only hope her daughter would remain safe, especially with the winds of war already beginning to stir in the North.

As for Sokram, though born of Garuth's tragic failure, he had ignited a flame of hope in Meriande’s heart, hope she hadn’t felt in centuries.

“Perhaps he can do it. Perhaps he can unlock the door to ascension in this world.” Meriande thought, her mind racing through countless futures where Sokram rose as a beacon of hope for their people.

Meriande exhaled slowly, gazing out the window as if searching for a glimpse of the future, and she murmured softly. "Life is about to get interesting again. So-kram, Sky Reacher. That’s a very nice name."

The name lingered on her tongue, carrying a weight of expectation. “Let’s see if you can truly reach the heavens.”

The next morning…

Sokram woke to the scent of freshly baked bread and the warm hum of conversation drifting from the dining hall.

Hilda patted the seat between her and Astrid. “Come sit with us. There are a few things we need to discuss.”

“Sure, Mom.” Sokram sat down and immediately began eating, his hunger intense after spending the entire night stabilizing the chaotic energy in his heart.

Hilda began speaking. “Dear, how much do you understand about what you achieved yesterday?”

Sokram swallowed a mouthful of ham before smiling. “It was a galactic achievement, right? So, it must be a step toward transcendence, meaning one can cultivate Chaos Energy to at least the beginning of the Transcendental Level.”

Everyone was surprised by his answer.

While it was true, they had only been concerned with maintaining it a secret.

Hilda took a deep breath, regaining her composure. “Yes, that’s true."

Hilda now smiled proudly, different from the previous night's confused and dry tone.

But then she turned to him again with the same seriousness and continued, “But you know you shouldn’t tell anyone it was you, right?” Her voice trembled slightly despite her attempt to sound stern.

She reached out, letting her hand run through his snowy hair. “Because, aside from us, no one else had seen your name in that message. Messages like those are always censored, except for eyewitnesses and those you can trust among your closest kin.”

Her hand lingered there, betraying the fear that clenched her heart at the thought of losing him.

Sokram nodded. “I know, Mom. I’m young, but I’m not that naive. I figured something like this would happen. I’ve even found a way to conceal it, so even if I use Chaos Energy, no one will be able to tell.”

Hannah and the others looked intrigued, raising a brow. “Oh? Care to show us?”

Despite her worry, a shy grin tugged at her lips.

Sokram nodded and began circulating his energy.

Despite its intensity, none of them could sense any Chaos Energy emanating from him.

Sokram took it further, casting a Fireball in his right hand for a few seconds before dispelling it.

He then allowed his spirit essence to flow out, and a thin aura covered his body for an instant before he called it back and circulated only his Vital Energy.

His family watched in stunned silence, their senses straining to detect even a flicker of Chaos Energy. But all they could sense was the overwhelming intensity of his power, akin to someone at the peak of Tier 1.

"How did you manage to hide the traces of Chaos Energy? Especially since you've just discovered how to use it?" Brunhild inquired, her pragmatic tone masking her astonishment.

Astrid leaned forward, her playful grin returning. "Yeah, spill the secrets, little brother. Did you make a deal with Nhiria or something?"

Sokram chuckled at her jests, yet such deals weren’t foreign to him.

He shook his head and explained with a casual yet confident tone. “I guess it was meant to be like this from the start. Chaos Energy naturally integrates with my other energies, masking its presence. Nana Hannah felt it yesterday because I hadn't stabilized it yet and because she used mana to probe my heart.”

He then turned to his family with a bright smile. “Do you want to learn it? I think the only ones who won’t be able to are Nana Hannah and Uncle Alain, as their Level of Existence has already reached Exalted. There is no space in their hearts for another Energy Core. But since none of you have reached Exalted yet, you can learn it.”

Though disappointed, both Alain and Hannah understood the dangers of trying to change their cultivation methods at their current level.

Doing so without special means could cripple, or worse, kill them.