Escape

"Mom, will Randy and the others be fine? Don't you need to help them?" Fratley asked.

Right now, they were moving at high speed, unimpeded by any obstacles, but even with that, he could see the Scorching Cloud was fast.

"Oh? Why would you worry about them?" Emily asked with interest.

Fratley was confused by her question, but he still answered, "We'll have a hard time without them. Karen's quirky, but she has great knowledge of plants and medicine-making.

Jane's a good nurse. Each of them has their own strengths. Looking for new people to join will be troublesome, and we don't know if we can trust them."

Hearing that, Emily's lips curled into a proud, soft smile. "Good. And here I thought your trait was just for show. I was worried you had emotional attachments to them. 

Remember this, Fratley, in this world, emotional attachment is a luxury only those with real power can afford. For people like us, survival and benefit come first."

"Even with you?" Fratley asked.

If he'd been born in this world without memories of his old life, he probably wouldn't have asked that question. But for him, someone raised by a family that drilled a different code into his bones, it felt wrong.

Family always comes first. That was a rule beaten into his heart, taught to him and his sister with relentless effort.

Emily smiled but didn't answer. Instead, she said, "Don't worry. Ben's no weakling. You think he'd dare oppose the Empire just for a few Psychalite drugs if he wasn't confident?

They'll survive. We'll meet them again soon, probably in a few days, considering the distance."

She paused for a moment, then added, "One more thing, Fratley. You should prioritize yourself, but never betray others. 

Loyalty is important for your own sake. Strength without principles won't get you far."

"What do you mean, Mom? Doesn't strength mean everything?" Fratley asked, curious about her answer.

Deep down, he felt like this was the right thing to do, but his reasoning was always based on ethics and morals. Somehow, he sensed his mother had a different reason entirely.

"What do you think someone strong, but without principles, can achieve?"

"Well… they can get whatever they want by force."

"True. But there's always someone stronger, Fratley. Remember that. Never grow complacent, no matter how strong you are.

This world is vast, so much larger than you think. You never know when you'll run into someone stronger. And even if you are the strongest, there'll always be some kind of weakness."

"But that still doesn't explain why having principles is important."

Emily smiled. "Strength with principles breeds respect. Even without asking, people will begin to trust you.

Rely on you. Follow you. All you need to do after that… is filter out those who would only become a burden."

"So basically, you're saying if I have principles, I'll attract loyal people who'll follow me no matter what."

Emily gave a nod. "Exactly. Don't follow your mother's footsteps. When I left my family, I had no one. Back then, I thought I could do everything on my own."

Emily had always been a prodigy, magic came naturally to her, and she far outpaced her peers in nearly every field. Born into nobility with both power and talent, she quickly grew used to others bending to her will. 

Everyone praised her, followed her lead, and called her a genius. But all that success gave birth to something else, arrogance. 

It wasn't until reality struck that she finally understood the importance of human connections.

Her downfall began the moment her rival made the first move, manipulating people behind the scenes, whispering poisonous words, and eventually engineering her engagement to a useless duke. 

Emily was furious. She protested, of course, but no one listened. In the eyes of the Empire's upper echelon, she was no longer a brilliant asset, but a dangerous anomaly.

If the Empire had been at war, perhaps things would've turned out differently. In times of crisis, powerful talents like hers were seen as heroes. 

But during peace? They were merely threats, unpredictable variables that could disrupt the fragile balance of power.

So when her rival exaggerated the threat she posed, the higher-ups didn't hesitate. They nodded in agreement, signed the documents, and looked the other way. 

No matter how hard she resisted, it didn't matter. In the end, she was drugged, kidnapped, and delivered like a parcel to that pathetic nobleman.

Listening quietly, Fratley gave a slow nod. But in the back of his mind, a different thought was brewing.

'Now that I think about it… it makes sense. Strength and principle together, that's what creates charisma.'

He remembered meeting people like that before. One of them was his old manager, someone who rarely spoke, yet left a lasting impression the moment they entered a room. They didn't need to demand respect. It just… happened.

"Are you even listening to what I'm saying, Fratley?" Emily snapped, her eyes narrowing.

"Ah, yes, Mom. You mean I need to have clear principles. If I don't, people won't believe in me."

Emily studied him, then gave a small approving nod. "Exactly. If you lead with purpose, their strength becomes yours. That's how you build something that lasts."

She looked around, then pointed ahead. "Anyway, we're here."

Fratley looked down, blinking in surprise. He hadn't realized how far they'd traveled. Compared to their old settlement surrounded by dense forest, this area was completely different, rocky terrain, rolling hills, and only a sparse scattering of trees. Most of the greenery was gathered near a small lake nestled in the low ground, giving it the look of a dry, stony oasis.

Emily set Fratley down, then floated the last few feet before landing with grace. She walked over to a tree by the lake, sat down with her back against the trunk, and let out a slow, tired exhale.

"We'll wait for the others here. In the meantime, why don't you tell me about your fight with the alpha Eyndeer?"

Fratley's eyes lit up. He'd been waiting for this. He had a thousand burning questions about magic he'd been dying to ask.