Inside a certain cave several kilometers from the camp of the rebels, sobbing voice of a girl could be heard. She was holding a lifeless baby dragon in her embrace. Beside her, the former prince of Maximillian was gritting his teeth in frustration.

“My condolence of your loss, Leo-sama.”

A lizardman said. Leo didn’t answer but he just staring at his beloved and the remains of his son.

“Shade, thanks for saving us. But, do you know the situation of Ren-sama?”

Karina asked. Shade didn’t answer.

“Did something happen with Ren-sama?”

Alicia asked worriedly.

“I will tell you later. For now, we need to go from this place first.”

He said calmly. He sounded calm but somehow it sounded bit holding a trace of sadness. Nobody realised it except a certain woman in black knight attire. With the support of Shiina and Flint, Ameralda stood up. Leo didn’t say anything. He just followed the group silently.

They dived deeper into the cave. Shade used his zodiac crest ability several times to enable the group to enter small gaps which connected the dead end part of the cave to the wide space in the deeper part of the underground cavern.

When they reached a large room near an underground river with glowing stalactites all over, they saw a certain vampire maid being laid on a sheet with a woman tending her and a small dragon flying near her.

“Lily!!”

Alicia dashed forward seeing her daughter. The dragon who heard her turned her face toward the girl running toward her.

“KYUII!!!”

The small dragon flew toward her. They hugged each other. The woman who just realized their arrival greeted Alicia.

“That’s pretty cold greeting you give me, Alicia.”

She complained.

“Eh? Kaa-sama? Why are you here?”

Alicia was dumbfounded when she realized her real identity.

“It has been a while, Kaa-sama.”

Leo greeted her. His expression only changed a bit but the sadness was still seen on his face. Claire’s gaze fell on the small dragon’s corpse in a girl’s arm. She approached the girl.

“Kaa-sama, this child is my child with Ameralda.”

Leo introduced his deceased son to her.

“I see…”

She said sadly. She reached her hand toward the unmoving small dragon.

“He died young. Say, did this child died to protect something?”

Claire asked.

“He died protecting me from a traitor.”

Leo said sadly.

“I am his father who supposed to protect him and yet…”

Leo shed tears. Claire reached her hands toward Leo and pulled him to her embrace. She also pulled Ameralda who didn’t say anything at all.

“You can cry. Cry as much as you want. But, you need to let him go. He died to protect his immature father. You need to be thankful that you have such great son and not agonize it. Don’t let his death brings you into a despair. I also know the grief of losing a child in a war.”

Claire said.

“You two need to move on no matter how difficult it is. Don’t let your son’s sacrifice in vain.”

She said. The rest of the group let the three of them alone. They walked toward the fireplace which was prepared beforehand.

“Why I didn’t see Ren-sama anywhere?”

Alicia asked.

“About that…”

Shade was at lost about what to say. He walked toward the tent and opened the entrance. Inside the tent, they saw Ren’s body lying on a sheet. But, his usual appearance was nowhere to be seen. He was completely petrified from the head to the toe.

“R-Ren-sama.”

Alicia fell on her knee.

“Claire-sama had tried to cure his petrification but it seems like his state isn’t ordinary petrification.”

Shade said.

“When my appraisal eyes looked into his status, it only displayed the name and the state of being sealed.”

He added.

“Sealed…”

Alicia was at lost.

“But, we must be grateful that he’s still alive. Currently Ren-sama is still fighting against the seal.”

Shade said.

“A seal that even mother can’t lift?”

Alicia asked.

“Unfortunately, Claire-sama had tried to unseal it but there’s no avail.”

Shade said.

“Nii-sama.”

Shiina was also at lost when she saw Ren’s state.

“I’ve contacted the other Zodiac Braves. They must have started researching a way to cure Ren-sama.”

Shade added.

“For now, I think it would be best if we restore our stamina here. Leo-sama and Ameralda-sama is still not in a good shape for travelling too.”

Shade suggested.

“That’s probably the best for now.”

Flint said. And with that, they decided to stay there for some time.