I Can Copy And Evolve Talents

Chapter 1181: Stepsister Reunion

After Northern finished beating Koll—driven by nothing but the thrill of dominance and the lingering taste of satisfaction—he vanished from the confinement chamber and reappeared on the stairway leading to the lower floors of the tower.

The tower was more crowded than he’d ever seen it. Of course, only those he’d cleared for entry were present: Tower Master Guilliver and a handful of others whose murmurs drifted up from the lower floors as they huddled and debated stars knew what.

People stopped to bow. Some stole glances of reverence as he descended, unhurried. When he reached the third floor from below, he pushed through a door into a simple room—a shelf, a large bed spread across the center, and beside it a round table where two white-haired ladies sat.

Lady Henai and the Princess had been laughing about something, joking, but fell silent the instant he entered.

The Princess’s brows furrowed slightly.

’...I didn’t sense his presence.’

Northern smiled at Lady Henai as he stepped inside.

”Mother.”

Her eyes glistened, tears threatening to spill. She shot up and pulled him into an embrace, burying his head against her shoulder.

Silence hung in the air. She had no words. A moment later she pulled back, staring at him in awe.

”Wow! Just three months ago, you looked so young and reckless. I can’t believe you’ve grown so tall...”

Northern laughed softly, then shifted his gaze to the lady at the table.

Lady Henai glanced back.

”Oh, right. I should introduce you to your stepsister.”

Northern’s eyes widened.

”My... stepsister?”

Lady Henai nodded, smile bright with energy.

”Yes, Art. This is Princess Rehema - Nora, the firstborn of Reimgard.”

Princess Rehema tilted her head with a smile, watching Northern expectantly.

Northern studied her for a long moment before offering a polite nod.

”I see... do feel at home, stepsister.”

He turned back to his mother, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

”Is there anything you need, Mother?”

Princess Rehema - Nora sat frozen behind them, shock threatening to shatter her composure.

Lady Henai answered hesitantly, glancing between Northern and the Princess.

”Uhm, nothing, nothing I guess...”

Northern gave his mother a soft smile.

”Okay, Mother. You’re safe here, alright? I’ve got some other things to attend to, but I’ll come back.”

Lady Henai nodded awkwardly. She glanced between the Princess and Northern as he moved toward the door—unsure, confused. The reunion hadn’t gone how she’d imagined it.

However, before she could speak, Princess Rehema—Nora’s voice cracked through the room like thunder.

”Stop right there!”

Northern, hand on the doorknob, stopped and turned back. The princess strode toward him. She was tall—even with his recent growth, Northern still had to crane his neck slightly to meet her gaze. She had to be well above six feet.

Her crimson eyes blazed with disbelief and mischief.

”Is that how you’re going to greet your sister?”

He shrugged lazily.

”The one I didn’t know existed for the past fifteen years of my life? Yes.”

He met her gaze, expression blank.

”What do you expect from me? I’m not sure. Was I supposed to be thrilled that the Princess of Reimgard is my sister? Or that she sailed across the seas to meet me?”

He scratched his temple as if genuinely searching for those feelings.

”Maybe if you’d sailed across the seas five months ago, you would’ve gotten the response you expected. At the very least.”

Princess Rehema - Nora fell silent, staring at Northern. Her sharp crimson eyes had softened, become tender. Northern’s ocean-blue eyes remained unfeeling, even.

He shrugged slightly and turned the doorknob.

”If you’ll excuse me.”

The Princess’s brows knitted together.

”Wait.”

Northern stopped, door open with a soft click. He regarded her with the same blankness, now colder.

”You certainly underestimate the weight of being an imperial prince.”

Northern raised a corner of his lips, looking up at her with subtle defiance in his cold stare.

”Is that so? I couldn’t care less.”

Princess Rehema - Nora’s glare darkened.

”Whether by force or by will, you’ll have to return home.”

Northern’s gaze sharpened to a cutting edge. The room turned cold. His tone dropped lower, flat and dangerous.

”Is that a threat?”

The Princess noticed the shift in the air and almost hesitated, but a wild, amused grin broke across her lips. She was about to act but glanced back at Lady Henai, who watched them anxiously.

Then she sighed.

”A threat? No, not really. I came after you while searching for Reis. He led me to your trail, and I’m sure he knows who you are. If he knows who you are, I can’t be certain what he’s planning. Reis isn’t just about combat—he’s a scheming freak whose loyalty lies with his own agenda.”

The Princess paused and breathed.

”I don’t want you to be used by someone like him. More than that, the Empire is your home in this world. The moment Father learns of your existence, he’ll march through the entire world if he has to. He’ll bring you to the Empire at any cost.”

Northern frowned at her words.

”You’ve all been fine without me for the past decade. Besides, isn’t it shameless to call the same Empire that tried to murder me home?”

The Princess fell silent as Northern finally pulled the door open and walked out.

Lady Henai called her name hesitantly.

”Reyy...”

The Princess broke into a chuckle, then the chuckle swelled into laughter, her shoulders shaking.

She turned to Lady Henai, a genuine smile lighting her face.

”Don’t worry, Aunty. It was a little preposterous of me to assume anyone would be overjoyed to learn their real identity is the tenth prince of the strongest Empire in the world.”

Henai studied her.

”Well, certainly, he wasn’t intrigued by that fact. But you’re right—knowing Reshard, if Art refuses to go to the Empire, he’ll bring the Empire to him.”

Princess Rehema—Nora stared at the closed door, amusement flickering in her gaze. Then she suddenly exclaimed.

”But wow! He’s so much like Father!”

She turned to Henai, voice and eyes brimming with astonishment.

”He looks far more like you, but he has Father’s rough, detached voice. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t almost get chills.”

She laughed.

”Mother certainly won’t like him.”