Chapter 154
*Air Island Temple. Morning. Yuki-Wan-Roku-Yo.*
I only managed to fully relax a week after Koh's death. Until then, countless worries about the Mother of Faces plagued my mind. From the records of the local Batman—I mean, Wan Shi Tong, who loves gathering information even on his allies, the light spirits—I knew the Mother of Faces had no contact with her "son." In fact, she harbored clear disdain for him.
According to the Spirit of Knowledge, long ago, the Mother of Faces nearly succumbed to the dark side but managed to overcome it by separating a fragment of dark energy from her being. That fragment eventually became the Face Stealer. For some reason, she couldn't destroy the lesser spirit she had created, allowing him to escape. Over millennia, he became an ancient spirit with unique abilities, using them to evade detection. I feared her dark fragment's death might affect her, making her seek my attention. While I've grown powerful enough to rival ancient spirits, who knows the Mother of Faces' true strength? She can't be weak if even her tiny fragment became a formidable ancient spirit. But so far, everything seems fine...
"Dad! Mom!" Tomoko burst into the room, leaping onto the bed where Ursa and I were still lounging. "Time to get up!" Before either of us could respond, our blanket was swept away by a gust of wind.
"No personal space with kids around," I chuckled, quickly catching the troublemaker.
"Let me go!" she laughed as I started tickling her.
"The moment we leave the Palace, all your manners vanish," Ursa sighed, carefully getting out of bed. The previous night's activities left a pleasant soreness in her lower body.
"I don't like the Palace," Tomoko said seriously, puffing out her cheeks.
"I don't think Azula would mind if you stayed here," I said, ruffling my daughter's hair. "Honestly, it's long overdue to get you out of that cesspool."
Tomoko's birth didn't align with Ozai's death, so everyone knew Ursa was carrying another man's child. By then, Azula and I were already married, making me the prince consort. People had long seen our close—perhaps too close—relationship with Ursa, so connecting the dots wasn't hard. There was no unrest; everyone knew my power, but whispers and gossip spread through the Palace and beyond. Azula silenced the loudest tongues, making it clear what happened to those who spoke out. Still, the stares never stopped. Because of this, Tomoko never made real friends...
"You'll study with Shika," I continued, hugging my daughter tightly. Convincing Azula was tough; she adored her niece and didn't want to part with her for long. But even the most stubborn mind could see the Palace atmosphere, especially for Tomoko, was no place for a growing child.