The Heir and Heiress

"Isn't it beautiful?" Greg uttered as he pulled over in the middle of the bridge. Since this is an exclusive area, there would be no other vehicle to take the road but the private patrols of the forest rangers who drove around for inspections. "Come on, kids."

Greg emerged from the car and opened the car door in the back seat to help Aisha get out. The truck has bigger tires; hence, the kids have to jump off it.

"Careful…"

"Thank you, Mister Greg," said Aisha with glee after the guy helped her out.

"Small thing, princess." Greg flashed a soft smile, then he looked up and noticed Zelenia was in a trance. He asked Janus, who was still inside the truck. "Does your mom just wanna stay here?"

Although it was windy around here, the sun was glaring. He wondered if Zelena felt uncomfortable about it.

Janus tilted his head to his right and studied his mom's face. She was indeed in deep thought.

"Mommy…" Janus stretched his arm and reached for his mom's finger, asking her, "Aren't you going out to see the waterfall?"

In that instant, Zelenia returned to the present. She blinked and lowered her gaze to the hand that held her fingers. She realized it was Janus.

"Where are we?"

She was still in a daze; thus, it worried Janus that his mommy was unaware of her surroundings, which were strange His mommy possessed an enormous power. Hence, he believed she was always on guard, and being in a trance like this was not so like her. 'What makes mommy distracted all of a sudden?'

It was oblivious to them she had a conversation with Luna throughout their trip, and what the familiar disclosed to her utterly shocked her.

"We're on the bridge, mommy. Look! The waterfall is magnificent!" Janus pointed his index finger in a particular direction.

Zelenia tilted her head to the right and followed her son's line of sight. Indeed, they were now across the waterfall.

"The waterfall is so pretty!"

Zelenia heard Aisha exclaim. Her daughter was now standing near the bridge's railings with Greg, and the latter enthusiastically acted as a perfect tourist guide, telling the little girl some legendary stories.

"Go join them, Janus. I have something to discuss with your mom, so I want to speak with her alone." In the passenger seat, Xanther spoke all of a sudden.

Janus looked at his mom, waiting for her reply patiently.

Zelenia stroked her son's head while saying, "I'll talk to Manager Jang first, then I will join you guys afterward."

"Okay, mommy." Reluctant to leave, Janus obediently got out of the truck. Before he closes the car door, he casts a sidelong glance at Xanther. Then his gaze lingers on his mom.

Zelenia could not help flashing a warm smile just to ease her son's worried look.

Behaving like that, Xanther chuckled, as he couldn't help being amused by the young man. "Your son surely is growing up. Now, he is a reliable young man. I'm glad."

Zelenia was puzzled when Xanther made such a phrase. 'Why would he feel glad? He was acting like a long-lost father whom we didn't see for several years, now returned home. Anyway, I should not think such trivial things are out of the blue.'

She promptly dismissed such an idea. On the other hand, she could not deny the fact that Xanther honestly noticed these changes when he witnessed the kids grow in the past three years.

The kids get to meet him and everyone when there is a family trip or family day hosted by the company. Even Chairman Smith was fond of her children—one thing is why her colleagues spread such rumors in the company the following days.

Although it died down immediately, which is strange, it was indeed a wonder that she looked like just an older sister to her children. They gossipped she gave birth when she was fifteen years old.

"Janus is indeed a good son and a brother." She muttered to herself, but enough for Xanther to hear her words.

He concurred. "I could see that. I am happy that he was guarding you. I could feel at ease."

"Guarding me?" She was perplexed by Xanther's words once again. She could not figure it out. 'Is there such a situation?'

Xanther noticed her confusion; thus, he enlightened her. "During that time we stopped by a cafe as you need to use the toilet. Then, this noon at the restaurant. Your son was overprotective of you from your admirers."

"Ad—what?" Zelenia's eyes widened upon hearing that she had then realized something. "Oh, right…"

Indeed, there was a situation during that time they picked out some fish for their lunch. There were young men who she thought were in college who approached her and asked for her name and phone number. There was even one asking for her social media accounts, but she didn't have any and she is not interested to give them away to strangers.

However, the moment they were about to pester her further, Janus would call her out.

"Mommy, look! There is a huge one here!"

"Mommy? Are they your children?"

"Are you married?"

The shock on their faces is cute.

Recalling this, however, she still does not understand Xanther's meaning upon saying he was glad and felt at ease. Why would he say that? Did he harbor some non-boss-employee feelings for her?

Impossible… But her boss was indeed showing some changes some time ago, and it was strange that it was so sudden. In fact, it happened when Shane appeared.

"Zelena…"

"Hummed?"

"I asked you if you are feeling okay."

"Oh, yes, I am." she flashed a smile so that she was believable.

"You seemed lost for a while."

"Oh…" It still surprised her every time Xanther would show concern toward her. 'Am I really that transparent to him?'

"Zelena… you know… you can always tell me if there are things that bother you."

"Huh?" Zelena was stunned. She made eye contact with Xanther just to avert almost immediately. He was staring at her with those solemn eyes. She could not fathom what he truly had in his mind when he was comforting her.

That's right! All this while, what Xanther has been doing was consoling her.

But she doesn't understand why he would do that. There is no deep relationship between them except for work.

If she were to say that Xanther is a great boss—that would be a lie. Everyone was afraid of his stern temperament. But she was not intimidated by him because Aelius was more strict, and what she gets through is far tougher than dealing with the office work and gossipy colleagues.

'Gosh. Here I am again. When will I ever get out in Aelius' shadows?'

"Zelena…"

"Ah! I'm really fine. Thanks for your concern. I felt flattered to be offered by you, Manager… erm, Xanther…"

"Are you sure you have nothing to share with me?"

"Erm…" She just noticed that her boss, Alexander Jang, is such a persistent person. 'Gosh. How could I share with him all my worries?'

Her worries are beyond this world's concern. There was no way she would share them with him.

And speaking of things that worry her, she is not only worried that Grand Knights found them. She is more worried that the Dragon Clans locate them.

'They were interested to ally with me? They must be dreaming. I know there is a condition for why they offered a hand to me. It is because Janus is the direct heir of the Everrette Kingdom. However, the Everrettes only cared for male descendants. It means they would only shove Aisha aside.'

Having this thought, Zelenia narrowed her gaze and harbored her resentment toward the clan.

'There is no way Janus and Aisha were to separate.'

Now that the Blue Flame chose Janus, someone must watch over him in case he suddenly went berserk and could not control the dragon's wrath.

'Aisha has to master her elemental magic so that she could utilize Sora's power. With the Repeal Magic, Aisha can seal the blue flame with less effort. That is why Aisha needed to remain by Janus' side. However, I have other things I'm troubled with… Would Aisha accept the responsibility that is originally mine?'

It was too excellent to imagine that her children were the heir of the two most prestigious empires in the Celestial Universe. However, the truth is things were not simple at all.

Those thrones are only a burden to her children.

Zelenia looked up at the blue sky, lost in thoughts.

'I wonder if my daughter and son would accept the duty of being the next Empress of the Moon Empire and the Dragon King of the Everette Kingdom.'