In the cabin, Slade and Amelie sat facing each other on their flight to Venus City.
After the "Princess Crow Incident" — as his family now called it — peace had become a luxury. Uncle Hales and Amelie had generously reported every detail of Slade's "ultimate self-sacrifice" speech to the entire family.
By dinner, his father looked at him like he was best suited for drama or film, his mother seemed secretly amused, and his sister laughed so hard that tears rolled down her cheeks.
She even gave Lia a new nickname — "Princess Crow. "The name stuck instantly. Now, even the housekeepers and helpers look with a straight face… or try to.
They couldn't hold back for long — not after his mother broke the silence with a laugh that sent everyone else following.
Remembering that, Slade couldn't help the corner of his mouth twitching. Across from him, Amelie still looked like she was suppressing a laugh — shoulders trembling ever so slightly.
He was annoyed and said. "If you want to laugh, just do it. Don't hold it in — you look constipated."
Amelie froze mid-smile. Her expression shifted to icy elegance in a heartbeat.
"Young Master," she said sharply, "you shouldn't talk to a girl like that."
Then, with practised grace, she changed the subject."I am… a little happy, though. The young miss gave her the name Princess Crow. I was just wondering… if I see her at the academy, what will it be like?"
Listening to her, Slade also realised that if he ever saw Lia again, the name Princess Crow would definitely pop into his mind.
Well, at least it had made the family atmosphere cheerful. He chuckled softly and said, "Well, we'll try not to remember Princess Crow when meeting her."
Amelie looked at him and smiled. "Haha, yes, we'll try."
Slade leaned back in his seat and said, "Hey, Amelie, it'd be nice if you just called me Slade. Every time you say Young Master, I feel like I'm some kind of third-rate villain in a story."
Amelie blinked, slightly surprised, then smiled politely. "No, Young Master. I'm your family's maid, from generation to generation. It wouldn't be proper."
Slade sighed — clearly, convincing her wouldn't be easy." So… does that mean you've known me since childhood?"
he asked. "Tell me about yourself — and your family."
Amelie nodded lightly. "Yes. When I was twelve, we went to the same school. The Willson family took care of my education. My father also works at the company."
Slade clapped and smiled. "Doesn't that make us friends, then? If you keep calling me Young Master every time, it'll be hard to have fun or go on adventures like normal friends in college. But if you call me Slade, I'll feel a bit closer — not distant. So from now on, call me Slade, okay?"
Amelie looked unsure, her expression wavering. "I'll try, Young Ma—"
Slade gave her a sharp, mock-annoyed look.
She caught herself mid-word, sighed, and corrected softly,"…Slade."
He grinned, satisfied. One more cursed title — 'Young Master' — successfully exorcised..
The plane landed smoothly, and the cabin lights dimmed to a soft blue glow.
After they stepped out, Slade finally got his first real look at Venus City — and the difference from the capital was immediate.
The airport was alive with motion and personality.
Slade whistled softly. "So this is Venus City, huh?"
Before he could take in more of the view, a familiar voice called out.
"Slade! How was the trip? I didn't know you'd grown this tall! Ha ha!"
A tall man approached, smiling warmly, with a boy and a girl — both about Slade's age — standing just behind him.
The man stopped in front of Slade and patted his shoulder with easy familiarity. "Been a long time, kid. Welcome to Venus City."
Slade looked at the man with a hint of uncertainty." Uncle Victor?" he asked, just to be sure.
Victor laughed heartily. "Yes, yes — I heard about you. Don't worry, kid. Come on, meet your cousins — Ryan and Violet."
He turned slightly, gesturing to the two standing beside him." This is Ryan," he said, introducing the boy first. Ryan stepped forward and smiled politely.
Then Victor motioned toward the girl. "And this is Violet."
Violet tilted her head with a grin. "Hey, Slade! Do you really not remember me?"
Slade blinked, unsure how to respond to that hopeful look. After an awkward pause, he nodded slowly.
Both Ryan and Violet looked genuinely shocked by his reaction. Ryan frowned. "Wait — seriously? I thought you were joking or trying to prank us."
He sighed, then smiled reassuringly and placed a hand on Slade's shoulder. "Don't worry, cousin. I'll make sure you remember everything — all the fun, all the chaos. You won't escape it that easily."
Slade gave a small, uncertain smile.
After getting into the car, they began driving through the city.
As time passed, Slade found himself glued to the window — Venus City was even more fascinating up close. Everywhere he looked, he saw students in sleek uniforms,
researchers in lab coats, and people walking with strange gadgets or glowing Essence cuffs.
Victor pointed out buildings along the way, casually explaining each one like a city tour guide."That's the Environmental Research Faculty," he said, nodding toward a vast glass structure humming with blue energy lines. "We study the changes in animal and plant life caused by Essence exposure. Some species evolved beyond recognition — even microorganisms are mutating. The government's been trying to understand how it all affects the planet's balance."
Slade listened intently, half interested, half imagining mutant vegetables starting a rebellion." So basically," he muttered, "Nature downloaded its version of adventure zone and everyone's panicking."
Victor laughed. "That's… not entirely wrong."
A short while later, the car stopped in front of a mid-sized villa surrounded by faintly glowing vines and neatly arranged trees that looked just a little too alive.
As they stepped out, a woman in her forties greeted them at the entrance. She was elegant, black-haired, and carried a gentle smile that instantly softened the atmosphere.
"Welcome, Slade," she said warmly. "I hope your journey wasn't too tiring."
Victor gestured toward her. "Slade, this is your Aunt Emma."
Slade smiled politely. "Hello, Aunty."
They walked inside, and Slade immediately noticed something unusual — the house walls were lined with framed photographs of animals. Birds, beasts, insects, and creatures that looked halfway between fantasy and biology.
Before he could comment, Aunt Emma chuckled softly."Your uncle's a research freak," she said, shaking her head fondly. "He often brings his work home. Some of these photos are from his field missions — and sometimes, he even brings the actual specimens back here."
She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Don't worry, they're harmless… most of the time."
Slade blinked. "Most of the time?"
Emma smiled sweetly. "You'll get used to it."
He wasn't entirely sure whether to feel reassured or terrified.
As Slade stepped further into the house, his eyes widened. Jars filled the shelves — each containing plants with eerie, human-like features. Some had mouths. Others had eye-like patterns or branch-shaped arms. On the other side, stacks of research papers and old journals covered the tables.
He leaned closer to one jar where a delicate blue flower floated inside. Just as he squinted to examine it, _the flower blinked.
Slade jumped back instantly. "Whoa! Is that for keeping guests away?"
Amelie chuckled at his terrified
expression."It's an Emotion Flora, Young Ma—Slade. These flowers can display emotions like happiness, sadness, or curiosity. They even bend their stems to express themselves."
Slade relaxed a little. "Really? I just thought it was about to jump on me."
Victor laughed. "Don't worry, nothing in here jumps anymore."
The word anymore did not sound reassuring.
Slade's eyes narrowed. "Wait—does that mean there was something before?"
Before Victor could answer, Violet burst out laughing. "Haha! Yeah! Dad secretly brought home a 'Specimen 42.' One day, a reporter came to do an interview— and that thing leapt straight at him! He nearly wet his pants!"
She laughed so hard she had to hold the table for support. Victor blushed, looking half-embarrassed and half-amused.
Slade smirked. "So, Uncle, you're famous now?"
He turned to Violet. "Hey, how often do reporters visit these days?"
That question made Violet, Ryan, and Aunt Emma laugh even harder.
Ryan wiped a tear from his eye. "Haha, none! After that incident, not a single reporter dared to come back — it's been seven months!"
Victor looked like he was searching for the nearest escape route.
Slade raised an eyebrow. "Right… Is there at least a room in this house without blinking plants or jumping science experiments? I'd like to survive the night."
Aunt Emma smiled kindly and led him upstairs. "Don't worry, dear. The guest room is completely safe. No jars, no creatures, no surprises."
"Good," Slade muttered, glancing suspiciously at the walls. "Because I'm too young for a heart attack."
Inside the quiet guest room, he finally relaxed, sinking onto the bed."New city, new home, and plants with better social skills than me," he murmured before closing his eyes.
Tomorrow would bring a whole new round of chaos.