The seven soldiers stood in formation, saluting Draco. Draco blinked in disbelief. "I-It's you guys."The leader's eyes turned red. "Mr. Pollard, it's been a long time. Do you remember Dennis at the back? You carried him for 12 miles so that he could live."Dennis Nichell had a scar at the corner of his eye. He stepped forward and hugged Draco. "Mr. Pollard, it's me. I-I always thought you were doing well. You've never contacted us all these years…"His voice wavered. They had assumed Draco had cut ties, but it was only now they understood someone had deliberately isolated him from them.A soldier with rank insignia approached. "Captain Pollard, we're all aware of your situation now. Mr. Sterling has assured us that the organization will not forsake its heroes. The Daley, Meyer, and Karken families will face due consequences."Shirley's wish will be honored by Recruit Camp 071. From today, she is officially recognized as our youngest soldier."Although this wouldn't be formally
Aria was the one who proposed the school's restructuring. Prolonging immoral practices would inevitably warp the students' values. Without proper education, they would grow into a blight on society. Even if Radley, Tiffany, and Krissa were dealt with, others like them would inevitably emerge. To truly address the issue, they had to strike at the roots.Summers International School had ceased its operations. All of the higher-ups were held accountable by the police, causing a massive uproar in the education community. Suddenly, everyone feared for their jobs. Many people had long awaited such action. The internet erupted with joy when the authorities announced a thorough crackdown.The Daley family faced severe punishments for their crimes. Just as Aria predicted, those who didn't receive death sentences would wish for it. Meanwhile, Draco appeared in an interview, this time with newfound confidence. Libbie sat beside him, proudly holding a photo from their daughter's recent birth
Back then, those fortune tellers were blind to Landon's true identity and insisted on sealing him away underground. Landon must be seeking revenge for what happened back then.That explained his pursuit of Aria.To Pahana, Aria was an enigma. Her skills were average, yet she possessed undeniable talent and a unique approach that defied the traditional Decatorian methods he knew.Fortune tellers were rarely bound by the conventional, their minds trained to think in ways others could not fathom. Pahana could also feel the hidden strength within Aria, a power she kept buried deep.Landon must have noticed that and sought to consume her soul.Yet Pahana found no trace of a binding contract between Landon and Aria.There were rumors, however, that Landon had once made a pact with a woman who was as infamous as she was beautiful. She was a woman of no redeeming qualities, a heartless temptress who reveled in tormenting others. Her disrespect for people was unmatched, yet Landon had
With a thud, Pahana fell flat on the ground. He was utterly speechless. Why did Aria suddenly lash out at him?Aria regarded him with a calm yet piercing gaze. "You had a sly look on your face just now. What were you scheming?"Pahana was still far from being fully obedient. Since she had taken him in, it fell upon Aria to teach him the proper order.Pahana blinked, bewildered. This was simply how he looked—Aria couldn't blame him for appearing sly just because of his natural features."I'm merely admiring your skill," he ventured carefully, trying to appease her. "Your mastery of the Decatorian way is impressive." He was referring to how she used Landon's heavenly fortune to sever the binding contract.Aria could sense the subtle disloyalty within Pahana. Cunning was second nature to lizards like him, but with a contract binding them, it was of little concern to her. She glanced down at Pahana, who was sprawled at her feet and spoke coolly, "That's not all I'm good at. I'm also
It was a rare, honorable opportunity. If Pahana's worthless father could witness him now, he'd surely regret abandoning him and his mother.Pahana understood Aria could have chosen not to give him the merits. She could have chosen to continue enslaving him like the other fortune tellers. Yet, she chose to honor her promise, compensating him for his efforts.If all humans kept their promises like Aria, creatures like Pahana wouldn't harbor such deep hatred that they'd want to devour them.Approaching Aria, Pahana was ready to repay her generosity by renewing the blood pact. However, Aria stopped him. She wasn't interested in complicating things further. Who knew where she'd be a century from now? There was no point in binding herself to a lizard—especially when the river was so polluted.Her eyes darkened. "No need. Just stop eating humans and keep an eye on the river. You saw how I handled things. If you don't want to end up as grilled lizard meat, behave.""Ms. Carver, don't worr
Sam had always been by Aria's side during her bouts of self-doubt. That was why she had always prayed that Tobias' ominous prediction would never come true.Before he vanished, Tobias had warned her that if Chaos reemerged, it would wreak havoc across the world. And when that moment arrived, Aria would need to steel herself and eliminate it.But Aria disagreed. To her, Sam was like family. He would happily carry out her every request as long as he was rewarded with a bit of food. How could such an earnest and loyal companion be a threat?Sam was undoubtedly righteous, just somewhat slow to react. How could he possibly bring chaos to the world?Aria could only dismiss the grim rumors as baseless. Either that or Sam had been misled by someone else.Pahana had once told her that Sam had a previous master. He was still young then and couldn't yet distinguish right from wrong. It must have been that previous master who failed to teach him properly.The notion that Sam could be a dange
The old man glanced at William and spoke sharply. "What went wrong with the seal?"William bowed his head, unable to provide a clear answer. "The rumors about the Daley family emerged from nowhere. We tried to suppress the information while investigating the source, but all efforts were futile."Nobody knew who the Daley family had provoked, only knowing the higher-ups were the ones giving orders. Plus, the entire case was executed quickly and privately. It was as if someone was targeting the Daley family. "The case wasn't investigated using normal procedures at all. I can't reach out to the Daley family without risking exposure. I'm afraid someone might recognize me. "If I'm identified, all our hard work over the years will unravel. And now, the matter has already been brought to light online, putting us in a precarious position."They had used a lot of energy and time to ensure their plan was executed perfectly. Their actions had gone unnoticed for the past few years. Howeve
The roads were soaked. It had been raining for a whole day in Southbury. Aria Carver's backpack was thrown out of the door by the butler in disdain."Mr. Kent doesn't want to see you, Ms. Carver. So, I have to say some words in his stead. Your birth parents are in the countryside. Your father's last name is Carver."The Kent family mistook you for their daughter in the past. But now that Ms. Lily has been found, I hope that you can do what's best for everyone and stop contacting the Kent family."The butler, Alfred Dun, took out a card. "Here's 10,000 dollars. Mr. Kent instructed me to give it to you as compensation.""No need."Aria didn't even look at the card as she picked up her backpack.Alfred looked at her in disdain. She didn't want the money? Was she acting tough?She should really think about her circumstances. The Kents had found their real daughter. They wouldn't want a country bumpkin like her anymore. She was an embarrassment. "As you wish, Ms. Carver." Alfred