The Royal Family knew all about Valeron's companions and preferred to keep the most controversial aspects of their lives under wraps, making them perfect heroes in the eyes of the Kingdom's people. "What about Fyrwal and Tessa?" Solus asked while pointing at their respective paintings. "What can you tell us about them?" "Oghrom and Juria are dead. Talking about them is just citing history facts." Tyris furrowed her delicate brow in reproach. "Fyrwal and Tessa are alive. Talking about them would be no different from gossiping behind their backs. "If you are that curious, you should find them and ask them yourself." "Point taken. I'm sorry, Tyris. I didn't mean to be rude." Solus gave the Guardian an apologetic nod that she accepted. "Don't you mean, Your Majesty, Lady Verhen?" Sylpha chided Solus. "Don't be silly, Sylpha." Tyris chuckled. "We see each other every other day at Lith's house. You can't expect people to bow to me or use honorifics all the time. We are all friends here. There's no need for etiquette." "You are?" Sylpha was flabbergasted. "I don't advertise it, but yes, Your Majesty." Lith replied. "There are already too many people who hate and resent me without knowing I enjoy Lady Tyris' companionship. Please, keep this a secret for my sake." "I will, Magus Verhen." Sylpha nodded. 'For everyone's sake.' She inwardly added. 'The last thing I need is half the Royal Court raging for the blatant favoritism and the other half pushing Lith on the throne the moment they discover Tyris' identity as the First Queen.' Once they were done visiting Valeron's exhibit and the tour resumed with Lith as the guide and Erkel as the guardian, the Queen bid goodbye to the group. Elina went back to her detached and formal attitude, drawing another puzzled look from Lith. By the time they had finished exploring the public wings of the Royal Palace, it was already lunchtime. Lith's group went to eat at the Phoenix's Nest, one of the best restaurants in the capital and so exclusive that even a Magus needed a reservation. Their table was located in front of a panoramic window with a view into the inner garden of the establishment. It allowed the customers to dine while enjoying the songs of the many birds that inhabited the place and the smell of the freshly watered flowers. During the day, when most of the customers would be high officials of the Kingdom instead of couples, the Phoenix's Nest used enchanted tables that kept the conversations that took place at each table from being overheard by their neighbours. "I'd never thought history could be so funny. Thanks for the wonderful experience, dear." Between the Hush spell around the table and her sitting away from Lith, Elina felt safe enough to return to her usual self. "Don't mention it, Mom." Lith replied. "Did you know Oghrom and Juria had such a complicated relationship, Ripha?" "I had no idea until today." Menadion replied. "I mean, I knew they disliked each other but that was it. I never prodded or cared enough to prod because I liked neither of them and so did Lochra." "Are you serious, Mom?" Thanks to a Hush spell of her own and Menadion shapeshifting into her Rhona alias, Solus felt safe enough to speak freely. "Very." Ripha nodded. "Oghrom's charm was superficial. Once you got to spend enough time with him, you realized how dangerous and empty he was. Everything he did and said was coated in honey and dipped in venom. "If you were careful, you could notice him sizing you up and looking for weaknesses he could exploit. He was a brilliant man, but his lack of morals made him impossible to admire. If not for Valeron, he had no conscience. "It didn't surprise me one bit that Oghrom chose to die with him. Even in his madness, Oghrom knew that with his powers as an Awakened, he was too dangerous and hard to kill. He couldn't afford the time to wait until he died of old age like Juria. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎 "Oghrom's final act of loyalty was removing the greatest threat to Valeron's legacy: himself." "What about Juria?" Lith asked. "If she were anything like Phloria, she would have been a great ally and friend." "You are right." Ripha nodded. "Too bad Juria was nothing like Phloria. She was arrogant, self-righteous, and overall, a pompous prick. Phloria too was a noble but she had empathy. "She knew that not everyone had her same upbringing and tried to understand the unique circumstances of her companions. Instead of blaming and lecturing you for your flaws, Lith, she accepted you and showed you a better way, but she left the final choice yours to make. "Juria would have treated you with contempt and called you a coward, claiming that you were no better than the people you beat up back at the Academy." "What?" Lith's blood pressure spiked just at the idea. "You heard me." Ripha nodded. "I really thought Phloria was the right one for you. If only that silly girl didn't break up with you, things might be different today." "Mom!" Solus went pale at those words but it was nothing compared to Kamila's ghost-white face. "How can you be so rude? Kami is right here!" "So what?" Menadion shrugged. "I'm only telling the truth. Also, don't talk as if you didn't cheer for Lith and Phloria to become an item before you got your body back. Everyone at this table did. Except for Kamila, of course." "You did?" Kamila turned around, noticing Elina choking on her food, Tista having an unquenchable thirst that made it impossible for her to answer, and Rena having a really bad fit of cough. "Why shouldn't they?" Menadion spoke with the same tact with which she molded cold steel. "Phloria was kind-hearted, a noble, and smitten with Lith. If she played her card right, she would have given Lith his first child with everyone's blessing." "Are you always this unpleasant?" Kamila's meal jumped up and down her throat due to the humbling experience. "Yes." Menadion and Solus said in unison, one with a steel gaze and the other in exasperation. "I say what I mean and I mean what I say, kid. Why should I walk on eggshells around your feelings and waste a thousand words when ten are enough? There's a reason I lived most of my life as a recluse. "I can't stand people who need me to coddle their ego. If you are a good person, I'll treat you as such but if you are a prick and can't hold it in, I'll rub it in your face." Kamila was about to make a snarky comment about Bytra having a few valid reasons to resent Menadion, but deemed it a petty low blow and swallowed it down. "What were you saying about Juria, Ripha?" Elina said, rushing to change the topic. "That in my and Lochra's opinion, she was a different flavor from Oghrom but not a better one." Menadion read the room and obliged. "She was judgmental, arrogant, and expected everyone to follow her code of honor. "To give you an idea, back when I first met her, Juria lectured me, calling me a selfish, insensitive peddler."