"Here."

Hades opened his eyes to find a glass of whiskey extended toward him.

He accepted it and said, "Thanks, Carl."

Carl, his younger brother and Melissa’s father, took a seat beside him as the two men basked in the quiet moonlight.

"It was quite a celebration, I must say. Many important figures showed up, even though it was just your birthday," Carl remarked with a smile, his dark brown eyes glancing at him.

Hades chuckled. "We stand at the top among the branch families of Montclair and Fortis. Of course they would show up at a moment’s notice." There was no pride in his voice, only amusement.

"I’m surprised you know that and still aren’t making a move to dethrone Astortia," Carl said casually, though his words carried weight.

"I have no intention of meddling in the dirty politics those clans indulge in. Rankings are nothing more than superficial satisfaction, a way to feel above others. I have no desire to become part of the Ten Petals."

Becoming one of the Petals came with its advantages, but the responsibilities rose with it. Expectations would bind him, force him into a certain mold.

And Hades hated that.

"Well, you can tell me if you ever feel like changing your mind. I can help," Carl suggested before taking a small sip of his drink.

Hades hummed. "I’ve been hearing about your recent deals with the central authority. You’ve even been invited by a few Petaled clans?"

Carl nodded. "Indeed. The weapons we’re creating are well received by our buyers. And you know how this profession works, nothing spreads faster than word of mouth. I improved the quality, and suddenly, demand shot up."

Hades frowned slightly. "A western nation has been supplying weapons for years. There must be a strong reason they broke that supply chain to turn to an independent firm."

Carl had started this company nearly a decade ago, aiming to provide equipment to newcomers, all while trying to secure ties with a major clan.

To support him, Maylith sourced a significant portion of its equipment from his company. But recently, that supply had been redirected elsewhere.

Somewhere closer to the crown.

Carl paused for a moment before replying vaguely, "I’ll just say this, Melissa has worked wonders in her workshop. She’s completely revolutionized the weapons. I couldn’t be more grateful for my genius daughter."

Hades hummed...since when Melissa became a weapon genius?

.....

"Would you like to explain why the Commander of the Montclair division is here at this hour?" Blake asked, speaking as if the person in question was not even present.

Veronica let out a quiet sigh. This had been inevitable.

Kyle exchanged a glance with the silver-haired woman before finally speaking. "Blake... she’s been supporting me for a while now. She was the first to figure out my real identity. Since then, we’ve stayed in contact. She’s saved me several times."

He spoke without holding anything back.

Blake crossed his arms and turned to Veronica. "How did you find out about his powers?"

Veronica briefly glanced at Kyle before answering, "I had my suspicions because of the sudden surge of Genesis from his house. But what confirmed it was the train incident. He was using a high level of Genesis on a moving train, and I happened to be there."

"..." Blake’s expression went blank as he slowly turned to his younger brother. "...are you a crackhead?"

"I’m sorry, alright? I was curious about my powers, that’s why I chose what I thought was the safest option," Kyle protested.

Blake removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I can understand that much, but the real question is..." He turned sharply to Veronica, his gaze hardening. "...why are you going this far? Why risk your job just to protect him?"

That was something Kyle had always wondered as well.

Why would Veronica risk everything she had built over the years, her pride, her position, her reputation, all for his sake?

Yes, she had feelings for him. But she did not seem like someone who would fall for a person at first sight.

There had to be a past between them... one he did not remember.

Veronica found herself cornered. If she failed to give a convincing reason for her actions, Blake would only grow more wary of her. And she knew all too well the kind of influence he held over Kyle.

Clenching her fist at her side, she spoke a single name, "Bridman Dojo."

Blake’s brows furrowed, then suddenly, his eyes widened.

"You..." He trailed off, "...that can’t be."

Veronica offered no further explanation and simply stood there.

Kyle tilted his head. "What about the dojo? Did we used to spar there?"

At those words, Veronica’s shoulders sank, her gaze falling to the ground.

Blake let out a quiet sigh. He understood everything now.

And he couldn’t blame Kyle for not remembering her at all.

Shaking his head, he said, "Kyle... when you have time, go through the album you brought from home. Maybe you’ll remember her."

Kyle’s confusion deepened. "Why can you remember her, but I can’t?"

Veronica wanted to ask the same thing... why couldn’t he remember her?

Blake had the answer. "Because you’ve consciously suppressed every memory from that time."

Those words froze Kyle in place.

Blake continued, "It’s not your fault that you don’t remember much from that phase when our parents were your worst nightmare. And that was the same time you met her. Though her name wasn’t Veronica back then. If I remember correctly—"

"No, please," Kyle cut him off. "I want to remember her myself."

Veronica’s heart stirred at those words as she slowly lifted her gaze toward him.

Kyle clenched his fist at his side and muttered, "If she’s been so important to me that she’s risking everything for my sake, then the least I can do is honor that by remembering it all on my own."

Veronica felt her heart race, her eyes wide as they remained fixed on Kyle.

The determination in his gaze, the sheer will to push against his own buried memories just to find her... it stirred something deep within her.

Blake adjusted his glasses and crossed his arms.

"Now you have a valid reason for supporting him, so I won’t question you further. However, I must admit, I’m still surprised that the fearsome commander of PSC is acting as a spy for my brother."

Veronica let out a faint chuckle. "Calling your junior fearsome is a bit rude, Senior Blake."

Kyle hummed in surprise. "You two know each other?"

Blake shrugged. "I was in my third year at the academy when she was recruited. And I’ll admit, she was the first person who made even me question whether I could hold onto the title of best cadet."

Kyle smiled faintly. "Somehow... hearing you two talk about that academy makes me want to go there as well."

Blake and Veronica exchanged a brief glance before Blake replied, "You can. But for that, you’d have to reveal your identity."

"... "

Yeah, no. He wasn’t that curious.

°°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been enjoying the story so far, drop a comment. Trust me, it helps.