At the same time, atop the central spire of the Aetherion family compound, two figures watched a lone vehicle speed toward the city's edge.
Evelyn's gaze was fixed on the disappearing speck. Beside her, her brother-in-law, James, stood with a stern expression.
"Why didn't you force him to stay?" James finally asked, his voice low.
Evelyn didn't turn, her eyes still on the horizon long after the vehicle had vanished. "After what we did to him, do you truly believe he would have come back?"
"Do you think he still holds any loyalty to the Aetherion name?" James countered.
He turned to her, his face a mask of conflicted duty. "I never wanted this for my nephew, Evelyn. But you know Father. He will not shatter centuries of family tradition for anyone's sentiment. At least they are in a better position than we were at their age."
Evelyn met his gaze, her eyes knowing. "You should pray he doesn't choose the path of outright vengeance. You know what he is capable of becoming. What of that girl you used to break his spirit? Is she still alive?"
James shrugged, a cold, dismissive gesture. "She lives. Her family is powerful; who would dare touch her? But I suspect if anyone pushes Michael past his limit, he would not hesitate to tear through any shield of influence."
"It was your plan, but they executed it willingly," Evelyn replied, her tone icy. "If they are killed, it will be no loss to me. But I must be patient. We still need their family's high-level warriors for when the worlds merge."
James's thoughts shifted to a greater battlefield. "The final war is not yet upon us. To secure victory against the Ape Race, we must first activate the Universe Master inheritance on the Fallen Star battlefield. Your husband is still there, searching for a worthy candidate."
Evelyn looked toward the stars, a weight of responsibility in her posture. "That is the challenge. We created that battlefield as a testing ground, but we cannot control who claims the ultimate prize."
"Why not tell Michael?" James pressed. "He has a real chance. There are few his age who have reached the Galactic Realm. Even Anna is only at the Star Realm."
Evelyn shook her head, a pang of regret in her eyes. "I wanted to. But the resentment he holds… I could feel it. He would never agree to do it for the family. And forcing him is out of the question. I sense something within him, James—a power that even I find frightening. Do not push him. It would end badly for all of us."
James was visibly stunned. "How is that possible? Our main bodies have achieved immortality. How can a Galactic Realm warrior frighten you?"
"I don't know," Evelyn admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "But it does."
The revelation sparked a new thought in James's mind. "Then… Michael could become the Aetherion Royal Family's greatest asset. Have you spoken to Father about this?"
Evelyn's head snapped toward him, her gaze sharp and warning. "Do not speak of what does not need to be spoken. Remember the rules. As for Michael's potential inheritance, we stay silent until it is confirmed. We will speak with Father-in-law only when we have proof."
A faint, proud smile touched her lips before she became serious again. "We have spent millennia elevating our homeworld to a supreme status. Focus on that. Your brother will handle Fallen Star."
"And Anna?" James asked, his tone softening with concern. "I only meant to push her, but she took it to heart."
"She is her brother's sister," Evelyn said with a sigh of resignation. "Stubborn and proud. When they are angry, they forget they even have a mother."
Her expression then turned strategic. "But Michael visited Vivienne. She will contact Anna, and that is for the best. At least one of us retains their softness. When Anna learns her brother has reached the Galactic Realm without a single family resource, it will light a fire under her."
"How do you plan to get them both to Fallen Star?" James inquired. "It's the best place for their progression now."
"Michael will find his own way there. Anna must be guided by her master at the Dragon Hall," Evelyn stated. "And your son, Dameon? You should look into his progress. You cast him out years ago and have not sought him since."
James's face darkened with frustration. "That fool is a disappointment! I exiled him to temper him into a warrior, and instead, he hides his strength and lives a life of leisure. I have half a mind to crack his skull open and see what he's thinking."
Evelyn shook her head. Their direct lineage struggled and suffered in exile, while the branch families enjoyed the comforts of the main house. She despised this cruel tradition of her father-in-law, but she understood its ruthless logic.
"Stay away from him, James. A public fight between father and son would be a disgrace. I will go myself to see what he is truly about," she decided. "The time has come for all of them to learn what it truly means to be part of the Aetherion Royal Family."
Her gaze once again drifted toward the path Michael had taken, a flicker of suspicion crossing her features. Was it mere coincidence?
"Send Vivienne to Anna with a discreet message," Evelyn commanded, her tone becoming decisive and cold. "I will find Dameon and attempt to cross paths with Michael. Do not reveal too much; let them uncover the truth themselves."
She finally turned to James, her expression utterly ruthless.
"As for those other 'idiots' in the branch families who think they can inherit everything if our sons fail… make a brutal example of one of them. It is time the vultures learned their place."
"And keep a close watch on the ancient families. They may be weaker, but they are old and cunning. I would not put it past them to be weaving conspiracies against us in the shadows."