Catherine's insides were freezing. Her lips were cracked and dried. She looked to be on the verge of death. However, she refused death from taking her. She refuses to die until she finds her daughter!
"Butler Jun, please get a warm blanket and a cup of coffee for Miss Catherine, and don't forget to light the fire in the fireplace."
"Understood, young lady," Butler Jun replied. He bowed before carrying out the task at hand.
After Butler Jun left the hearth room, only Vien, Xerxes, Catherine, and a ten-year-old girl remained.
Catherine wanted to say, 'no need,' but her teeth were trembling from the cold. So, she fixed her gaze on the ten-year-old girl. She had the good fortune to meet this girl, the Von Siege family's leader, ten years ago. However, the girl was only a newborn at the time.
Now, Catherine caught another glance of her.
She instantly recognised the person in front of her as the Von Siege family's leader. After all, was there anybody else with such distinctive looks but this girl?
The girl had blazing long wavy hair. It was so rust-coloured that it almost looked like blood. Her eyes were golden, with two reddish crescent moons in the centre of her golden pupils. Her lips were naturally crimson, like a vampire who had just eaten. Also, her skin—- the girl's skin was so white and velvety. This was the selected Von Siege feature.
Wyn was so stunning that no one would dare to commit such crimes in front of her for fear of tarnishing her beauty.
"Your daughter is alive," Wyn said suddenly, not beating around the bush.
Catherine shook. Vien, on the other hand, cocked her brow. Only Xerxes remained unconcerned, listening while playing with a ball in his hand.
Catherine couldn't handle it any longer and burst. She wailed and got down on her knees. She was a 35-year-old woman, yet she knelt before a 10-year-old child.
But she didn't care.
All she wanted was to see her daughter.
She wished to see Katarina alive and well.
Wyn looked at the woman indifferently. Dark shadows loomed beneath her eyes, showing her exhaustion.
She wanted nothing more than to sleep right now. However, she still had to solve the issue in front of her.
If she wasn't mistaken, this woman's daughter was Katarina Ivanov, an intelligent and strong girl. Katarina was not a member of their family, but Wyn didn't care. She had a favourable impression of that girl, so she may as well rescue her in advance.
"Miss Catherine does not have to do this. Even if you didn't come here to plead, your daughter would be saved by our second commander," she said casually.
That was destiny. Katarina was supposed to be saved. She was destined to fight for her life in that arena, only to be spared just in time. And her future...
Wyn's eyes flashed with gloom.
Xerxes paused. He looked at Wyn and sluggishly asked, "I would save this woman's daughter?"
Wyn didn't move her eyes away from Catherine. But she responded, "How's your operation this time? What happened to those kids?"
Xerxes smirked.
Look.
He didn't tell her about his mission this time, but she found out anyway. It was tricky hiding from a celestial being. This was one of the reasons he couldn't stop doing good deeds despite his laziness.
Xerxes leaned on the sofa, clasped his hands, and answered, "The kids were transported back to my lab. Don't worry. I will not use them as guinea pigs."
Then a thought flashed through his mind. "Is Catherine's daughter one of those children?" "
Catherine awoke from her trance as soon as she heard this. "Katarina, Katarina, my Katarina!" she cried out hysterically. "What happened to her? How is she doing? Is she alright? She didn't suffer, did she? Please... please tell me. Is she in good health? I want to see her! "
Vien felt amused by the woman's banter. "Karma's really a bitch. Who would have known that you'll get involved again with that organisation? But this time, it seemed like you're the victim."
Catherine could feel her blood draining. She turned pale, and her heart ached. Things she had done in the past were coming back to haunt her.
She regretted it. She truly regretted it.
If she had known her daughter would suffer from her sins, she would not have done it.
Slam!
The unexpected noise stunned Vien. The woman had just bowed and banged her head on the floor. Then, blood began to flow from her head.
But Vien had no heart to feel sorry for the woman. Catherine was regretful now because of her daughter's predicament. Otherwise, would she still be remorseful?
Didn't Catherine turn her back smugly and proudly when she was kicked out of the family? She didn't repent and even looked at them as if they were earthworms she could stamp on whenever she wanted.
But now…
Aiya…
Karma really knew how to make one suffer.
"Please save my daughter," Catherine pleaded.
"Didn't I tell you Katarina would be saved? "
Catherine didn't budge.
Wyn said, 'she would be saved. It could still be changed. If Wyn instructed Xerxes to kill her daughter, then what's the point? She was well aware of the Von Siege family's animosity toward her. So Catherine would never make a mistake this time. Even if they demanded her life, she would not object. Catherine was willing to die as long as Wyn would give her words that Katarina 'would undoubtedly live.
The Von Siege family never broke promises even once.
"Please," Catherine begged once more, her voice shaking. "Please save my daughter. I'm willing to do anything—everything. Please... please save my daughter."
Wyn remained silent. She stared at Catherine for a moment before heaving a sigh.
"Katarina will live."
She then stood up and exited the hearth room. She passed Butler Jun, who had been standing in the entrance for who knows how long, and told him, "Give Miss Catherine a comfortable room in the castle. She will be living with us from now on."
"Understood, Young Lady," Butler Jun replied with a bow.
Wyn then left. Xerxes was following her behind her.
"Congratulations, Miss Catherine. Welcome back to the Von Siege family," Vien said, her voice flat.
Catherine remained motionless. Then her expression abruptly changed.
"Please follow me, Miss Catherine. I'll show you around."
Catherine nodded.
She stood up and looked at Butler Jun, who was scowling.
"But before that, please follow me to the infirmary."
—
Wyn was sitting on her bed as Xerxes examined her body. Following that, the latter lowered his equipment before stating, "Your body is healthy. If you want to sleep, go ahead. There is no harm in sleeping more."
As a slacker, Xerxes naturally believed that sleeping was heaven, that doing nothing was the best way to live, and that relaxing was the best relief.
"I've used my abilities to some extent. It's the cause of my usual drowsiness," Wyn explained. "But Vien kept nagging about it, so I let you come back for her peace of mind."
Xerxes nodded in understanding.
"How are the children?" Wyn asked.
"They're good. The medicine I created made them look dead. Transporting them back here was a success," Xerxes reported. He got to his feet and leaned against the vanity table.
"That's great. Allow the children to spend some time on the island. You can make them choose whether to stay here or go home once the drugs have been completely removed from their blood."
Xerxes arched his brow. "You're going to recruit these children?" "
Wyn nodded. "It would be best if people who have experienced life and death joined the family. Those who wanted to stay should be properly evaluated. After that, distribute them throughout the organisation."
"What about those who wanted to return to their families? Will you simply let them go? "
Wyn pressed her lips together. She paused briefly before saying, "We'll erase their memories. It would be difficult for them to live a normal life after what they had gone through."
And they were children. Torture would undoubtedly have traumatised them.
"Understood," said Xerxes. He thought of leaving the room since he had no more words to say, but then he remembered something. "What about Catherine's child? Is she one of the kids I brought with me? "
"No. Catherine's daughter is still in that place."
Xerxes frowned. What a good child, then. The last medicine he gave those kids would counteract the drugs. If successful, it would cause them to suffer for a night before death—or, more accurately, to appear dead.
However, if his medicine could not fight the drugs, it simply means that the child's body was compatible with the drugs.
Xerxes clicked his tongue. There were only a few people who could merge with that drug. If the merger went well...
His eyes grew cold, and his lips formed a sinister grin. He was the primary doctor who developed the drug and was well aware of its effects.
He didn't know whether to feel pity or happiness for Catherine's daughter if it was a success.
"Stop grinning," Wyn said indifferently, "You look awful. The eternal drug will not combine with any of the remaining children. It will only strengthen them slightly." Her expression, then, darkened as she added, "No one is compatible with our blood except you."
Xerxes laughed out loud. "Thank you for the compliment."
When Xerxes left, Wyn went to sit on the windowsill, looking outside as she appreciated the snow.