One day later...
After more than a day in the Snow Kingdom's capital, Minos had already signed several Soul Contracts with high-level members of the Snow family.
However, Minos would still need to remain in this city for a few more days, given the many people who would need to sign contracts with him. On the other hand, there was also the problem concerning the limitations of the only spiritual judge able to validate these contracts.
In any case, everything was developing at the highest possible speed, and he was not dissatisfied with the arrangements made by the Snow family.
No, on the contrary, he was delighted. The Snows seemed to be the most reasonable of all the organizations he had been in contact with during these past months.
They understood their position, knew how to handle the situation without causing unnecessary friction, and were efficient at what they did.
As a result, Minos had the peace of mind that he could train or cultivate in a place designated for him when he was not dealing with the Snow family.
Other than that, he was not spending much of his time walking around this city, trying to get to know the area. Instead, he just hung out when he went to get something to eat or to relax during a walk between one training session and another.
...
After returning from a short walk through the central part of the Snow Kingdom's capital, Minos passed through a long corridor of the royal palace.
The place had several corridors crisscrossing it, where people came and went without causing a commotion but with an intensity that was difficult to ignore.
And after passing through the most hectic part of this place, where many employees of this organization were working, this young man finally arrived at a place near the gardens of this estate.
There, members of the royalty, among them some young women, were enjoying themselves, some sitting on benches beside the fountains, others walking calmly.
Seeing that place, Minos smiled at how peaceful these people could be even in the presence of such a fearsome enemy. 'The blessing of ignorance...' He thought, pleased that those people had not changed their behavior with his passage there.
"Oh?" However, as Minos watched in delight that happy area of this estate, he suddenly saw a face he already knew.
And noticing the worried, tense expression on that beautiful face, this young man could not help but approach that woman who should not be much older than him.
"Do I know you?" He asked as he stood only three meters away from that blonde woman who had stopped her walk between Minos and a green fence.
Gulp!
"I... I don't..." She stammered in awe, afraid that Minos would recognize her here.
But that woman's action was futile. Minos had an excellent memory for faces, and even if she looked a little different from the last time they had met, he had still been able to recognize her.
"Looks like you're trying to lie to me, huh?" He smiled, moving closer to that woman, making her stand ultimately against that green fence.
"No... Please..."
"If I'm not mistaken, your hair wasn't that color... Did you make a way to dye them?" He stopped only thirty centimeters away from her, looking intently at her face.
But realizing the silence she was making after his previous words, this young man shook his head disappointedly. "Regardless of your hair color, you should remember that your spiritual fluctuations are unique..."
"Have you forgotten that, Misty?" He smiled, remembering the name of the woman who had confronted him several months ago when Christian had attacked him.
At that time, Misty and Christian did not know how strong Minos was. And because of that, the young master of the Reid family was killed by the ruler of the Black Plain.
As for Misty, she had found a way to escape from the battlefield. And since Minos did not have much interest in someone of her level, he had not bothered to pursue her.
In any case, he was amazed to find an old enemy in this very place.
"Why aren't you with the Reid family? Is the Snow family somehow associated with that organization?" He asked, with his two hands on Misty's shoulders.
She then said in awe. "No. The Snow House has no relation to my former family."
"Please don't do anything to them on my account!" She pleaded with him as tears trickled from her eyes.
"At that time, after escaping the battlefield, I figured I would no longer have a future in the Reid family. So, instead of returning to the Kingdom of the Waves, I came here, where I eventually met His Highness, Prince Ambrose."
"Oh? So, that's how it is..." He understood her story, finding interesting this woman's ability to get off the bottom of the well and approach a person even more powerful than her former companion.
'It seems that this woman knows how to manipulate the fools who pursue her...' He laughed, feeling sorry for Ambrose for approaching such a woman.
Women like Misty rarely brought benefits to their companions. In fact, the most significant risk was that one day she would manipulate Ambrose into doing something stupid that would kill him or leave upon finding a better option.
In any case, Ambrose's chances were not good!
"So, answer me one thing... Does Ambrose know about your past? Does he know how you were the woman of that fellow, uh, Christian Reid?"
But Misty did not like having to hear that incorrect information from Minos. "You are mistaken. I was not his woman but that of his younger brother, Tristram Reid."
"Is that so?" Minos asked unconsciously, finally remembering the young man he had killed during his trip alongside Ruth to the Spiritual Tournament.
"So, it was because of that fellow that the Reid family attacked me so many times during this period?"
"Yes..." She answered promptly, with tears streaming from her eyes.
She genuinely loved Tristram. As for Christian, she had only given him what he wanted so that the death of this woman's true love could be avenged.
And now, in front of the one responsible for everything, she could not help but feel bad about the world's injustice.
But it was not hard for Minos to understand a bit about this woman. "You are quite complex... You loved that person, but you were in a relationship with that Christian, your brother-in-law..."
"I did what was in my possibilities!" She shouted, angry at Minos' insinuation.
She was afraid of this young man, but she did not want to be compared to a slut who sells her own body...
"Do what you have to do with me, but please don't blame the Snow family for my presence here. I was only protecting myself by His Highness' side..." She said that with her head turned to the right side to not look at Minos.
"Sigh..."
"What do you think I will do? That I will attack a defenseless woman?" He said, looking at how she was spreading her legs as if she was ready to 'sacrifice' herself there.
"Misty, you are beautiful, but I am not attracted to women who do not desire me."
"Don't get me wrong, but I don't see women as consequences or prizes for my efforts. The opposite of that. I who am the prize to be pursued."
"It is a privilege to be by my side, so I would never allow a woman who does not deserve me to have that benefit."
"I would only be rewarding you if I touched your body..."
He then turned away from her and said in a low voice. "And don't worry, I won't do anything against you."
"Back there, the situation with your husband was caused by himself."
"He attacked me even though I had warned him what would happen... After that, he suffered the consequences."
"As for the attack you participated with that guy, don't worry. The deaths of the other people involved have already made up for your crime."
"As long as you behave well, I won't do anything against you..." He said, looking away, before finally giving her one last look. "I won't get my hands dirty with the blood of a level 48 cultivator who can't do anything against me."
"Be smart and live your life carefully. I won't say anything to Ambrose."
After that, he disappeared from that spot, leaving Misty alone, trembling from the fear that still permeated her heart.
She felt her legs weaken and fell to her knees on the ground.
"Ahhhh!" She cried out in a low voice, feeling extremely confused at this moment.
She did not understand why, but besides her hatred for Minos, she suddenly felt as if she had been provoked as if she should prove herself to him.
And thinking about it, she felt even worse about those two dead brothers.
'I'm sorry, Tristram, Christian...'
