Teacher by day, Farmer by passion
Chapter 250 - 250: Aftermath [5]

Ace adjusted his grip slightly as he carried the two kids, turning to Yuu with a frown.

"What happened, Yuu?"

The question hung in the air. Both Liu Mei and Shan Yifeng, nestled comfortably in his arms, perked up.

Their chatter stopped, replaced by a quiet, focused curiosity.

Yuu smirked. There was a flicker of mischief in her eyes, battle-worn but sharp.

"Master," she said, "you know how Xie Ninger wants to kill your mother?"

Ace nodded slowly, brow raised. "Yes, I'm aware. What about it?"

"Well…" Yuu turned on her heel, her voice light as if retelling a tavern story. "She and I decided to… speed things along a little. We made a plan to ambush your mother. Cripple her. Shake her control beneath her before she saw it coming."

Ace's eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing.

Yuu continued, pacing slightly now. "We started with her illegal businesses, cutting supply lines, stirring unrest, siphoning funds. Quiet work. Nothing too flashy. Then we dropped little breadcrumbs. Just enough to make the royal guards curious, to draw their attention. While still making her think she was still in control."

She chuckled under her breath, almost admiringly. "And it worked. Investigators started sniffing around. One thing led to another, and the Second Prince himself came storming in, trying to make an arrest in public, no less."

Yuu paused, her smirk twisting slightly. "She slit his throat before he even got past two sentences."

Ace's brows furrowed. The kids looked wide-eyed, Shan Yifeng with interest, Liu Mei with fascination.

"That did it," Yuu said, tone cooling. "The entire Royal Guard was dispatched overnight. The Xiao family went into lockdown. Investigations turned to riots. Nobles picked sides. Within one day, everything was chaos."

Ace let out a low breath. "So everything fell apart?"

Yuu gave a bitter chuckle. "We thought it was falling into place, honestly. Until…"

Her gaze darkened. "Prince Giyo made his move. Staged a coup, right under everyone's nose. Cut down the king and queen. Took the throne by force. His siblings didn't even see it coming."

A moment of silence.

Then, with a bit of relief, she added, "The Third Prince is still alive. And so is Princess Soho. That's the good news."

Ace's jaw tightened slightly. "And what about you, Yuu? How did you end up getting caught?"

That's when she laughed.

A short, loud, almost proud laugh. "Hahaha! Oh, Master, it was brilliant! We were drinking together. Celebrating, even. Everything was going so well. I blinked, just blinked, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in prison."

She wiped a tear of laughter from her eye. "Xie Ninger sold me out. Like flipping a coin. She even left a note! 'Sorry. You're in my way.' She's good, Master."

She didn't even sound mad. If anything, she sounded impressed.

Ace stared at her, lips parting in disbelief. Then, with a groan, he shook his head, the motion jostling the kids in his arms.

"You're all insane," he muttered.

"Mmhm," Yuu replied with a grin. "And I'd do it again. Master, it was really fun."

"So, Master, where are we going?" Yuu asked, stretching slightly as she fell in step beside him.

"To Falmuth Kingdom," Ace replied calmly, eyes ahead.

"Eh?" Liu Mei blinked. "Master, you're not going to see Sister Soho?"

"She's the princess, dumbass," Shan Yifeng scoffed from the other side, arms crossed.

Thud!

Liu Mei's little foot smacked into his side. "Don't call me dumbass! I'm your senior sister!"

Shan Yifeng winced, rubbing his ribs. "Senior in what, being annoying?"

Ace sighed, exasperation thick in his voice. "Hey—both of you. Behave, or I'm dropping you."

That threat was all it took.

Liu Mei gasped and immediately curled her arms tighter around Ace's neck, clinging like a koala. "Nooo! I'll be good, Master!"

But as soon as she was sure she was secure, she stuck her tongue out at Shan Yifeng with a triumphant, "Bleeeegghhh!"

Shan rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, "Immature brat."

Ace walked on in silence for a few seconds, carrying two incredibly powerful spirit cultivators who acted like bickering toddlers.

Yuu walked with an exaggerated wise nod, eyes half-lidded like a sagely elder. "Master, I believe you deserve a break."

Ace didn't even bother to argue.

"I believe so too," he replied plainly.

Yuu's eyes lit up. "Then… do you want to relieve some steam? I might know where a certain legend-rank is hiding. Somewhere in the ruins of the palace, actually. Hehe… Little prince didn't want Commander Bruno to chase after you back then. Said he was old and rusty."

She gave a mischievous grin. "Why not blow off some stress by absorbing all his blood?"

She said it with such excitement, it was hard to tell if she was joking or dead serious.

Ace gave her a long look.

"No," he said bluntly.

Yuu just shrugged,"Suit yourself."

Their footsteps continued over cracked stone and snow-flecked rubble, the aftermath of chaos still lingering in the air.

Then, in the distance, movement.

Ace paused slightly, eyes narrowing. A small group was approaching—tattered, bruised, but determined.

At their lead was a familiar figure: Milson, still heavily injured, his armor cracked and dust-streaked, but moving with a soldier's resolve. Behind him, a scattered handful of loyal men from his division.

"Search for Her Highness!" Milson shouted, voice hoarse. "Fan out! Find the princess!"

Ace sighed inwardly. So impatient, he thought. He'd told Milson to wait—he would bring Princess Soho back. But now that the man was already here… and Ace himself was heading toward Falmuth… well, this saved him a trip.

He didn't bother announcing himself.

With Liu Mei draped around his neck like a smug little cat, Shan Yifeng still sulking on the other side, and Yuu walking with a lazy spring in her step, Ace simply kept walking.

Past the broken halls, the blood-soaked fields, the shattered palace that once ruled Tharz.

Just like that, without fanfare or farewell—

Ace, Liu Mei, Shan Yifeng, and Yuu silently departed.