While others felt charmed by Mylene’s calm and gentle smile, Aster could notice the slight disdain in her voice, but as they previously discussed, Mylene also had a chance to tell her version of the story and then they will decide whether she is lying or not.
Aster was the one that arranged this “meeting”, so he took a few steps to welcome Mylene.
“I’m Aster Drage, it’s a pleasure, let’s go to a more comfortable place to talk”, he said with a polite voice.
Mylene nodded and Aster guided her to a table which was previously prepared for this in the garden if the castle, while they were walking Mylene evaluated all the ones that came to receive her.
“A few peak star tribulation cultivator how… weak, these bumpkins must have thought that I’m in a miserable state, like that semi-death old man”.
Once they reached their destination, everyone took their assigned seats, of course Aster and the girls along with the members of the royal court occupied one side of the table, while Mylene sat alone at the other one.
Kana sighed, she wanted to sit in Aster’s lap like she has been doing lately, but since Aster was in charge of stopping Mylene in case things went to hell, she sat next to her mother.
Aster smiled, he took out the book Aurelian left and kept it closed as he showed it to Mylene
“I hope you like the scenery of this garden, now changing to more serious matters, this diary was given to me by Aurelian, he said inside of it there was a complete description of what happened back then… but I haven’t been able to open it, so instead would you mind telling us the complete story”.
Mylene looked at the current distribution of the seats, it didn’t escape her attention that Aster was practically surrounded by women in every direction.
“All the mortals are the same, power, resources or women, they always have one of those tree weakness… just like those guys that arrived at Riga, I can’t believe they actually bought the story that I will help them conquer a stellar system, if they help me leave this damned prison”.
Mylene nodded and then proceeded to tell her version of the story which was “surprisingly” exactly the same as the one Aster read in Aurelian’s diary, once she finished, she had a sad expression as she sighed.
“I’m truly sorry to have involved this galaxy into my fight… Aurelian was a decent man, so it’s shame he left this world, but that’s why I want to put an end to all this meaningless conflict”.
Mylene put on a pitiful expression, she looked directly at Aster and spoke in a hopeful voice.
“I can’t defeat that vile woman alone, in fact I haven’t been able to find her after so many years, back in the forest with the help of the guardian vines I saw you easily defeating a corrupted, to honor Aurelian’s sacrifice I would like you to lend me your strength”.
Listening to her explanation, from the bottom of his heart Aster was genuinely… disgusted.
“I guess my intuition for women is really good, she has been lying to us practically since we met”, although Aster was practically sure that Mylene was the true “villain” of the story, he still wanted to give a proof for Orson and the others.
He put on an upright expression as he answered Mylene.
“Aurelian was a good man and I would be more than honored to help the one that fought alongside him against the nether vine… that being said I hope you understand we have a hard time trusting you after everything that has happened”.
Mylene mentally laughed, “Another dumbass in the bag”, she thought before standing and placing her hand in her chest.
“I the cosmos tree swear with the heavens as witnessed to not harm any of the presents, in exchange I would like to ask for their strength, to clean this world from the enemy that has caused me so much trouble”.
After saying that she sat down and spoke
“I hope a soul oath is enough for you to believe I have only good intentions towards Aurelian’s descendants”.
Aster smiled, he turned to see the girls to judge their reactions, Alice and Aria looked indifferent towards anything that wasn’t directly related to the “family”, Sarina on the other hand was a bit confused while Kana didn’t pay too much attention to the whole thing.
Milia and Sylas were in conflict, and lastly Orson and Leister which looked convinced by Mylene’s words, Aster made a gesture with his hands and then gave his verdict.
“I accept that oath as a sign… as a sign that you are a scheming bitch”.
…
It took Mylene a moment to process what she heard; her expression changed from a gentle calmed one to a twisted vengeful one.
“What did you say you mortal piece of scum!!!”.
Before Mylene could even stand from her seat a hand in each of her shoulders kept her in place.
“It’s been some tome since we saw each other… Mylene”.
“That way of disdaining others and thinking she is above everyone, she is definitely one of those disgusting members of the Karel family”.
Two different women’s voices made Mylene felt her heart sink, she turned around and easily recognized Eris, but the other one was a completely new face, and not only that, she felt her life threatened just by the hand that was placed in her shoulder as if the scythe of the god of death was pointed at her neck.
“Impossible since when there is a gate transcending cultivator in this galaxy, and how the hell did the bitch recover from her wounds!!!”, she thought.
But she didn’t give up so soon, the whole area that surrounded the castle suddenly illuminated as a huge spirit array appeared in the ground, Mylene snorted as she directly spoke to Aster.
“So, you already knew the truth, Aurelian couldn’t even complete the last task I gave him… whatever from what I see, you are the one who planned all this, how does a mere mortal dare to scheme against me!!!”.
“Tell these two to let go of me immediately, I prepared this array to immediately destroy this city along with all its people, of course the gate transcending woman would survive, but I doubt she can save more than one of you, I used the lives of all the “livestock” that has been piling in Riga with the years after all…”.
Mylene who had a triumphant smile on her face suddenly froze, she felt her connection with the killing array disappearing, she tried to look for the origin of the interference, and her eyes widened when she saw it.
Aster was calmly sat in his chair, on his right hand there was a sword which was half shoved in the ground, slight traces of golden light were coming the place where the sword was in contact with the earth.
Aster stood up from his seat, of course he left the sword where it was, he approached Mylene which now seemed as if she was about to cry.
“That surprised face of yours tells me, that even in your wildest thoughts… you didn’t imagine yourself losing, I guess you are so used to trick others that it didn’t cross your mind someone could do the same to you”.
Mylene finally reacted, she could only see one way out of this situation, so she put on an aggrieved expression as she spoke.
“Y-You are being deceived by Eris, I already swore to not harm any of you, why can’t you believe me!!!”.
Aster sighed, Mylene is actually such a good actress, that if it was other man it would have for sure been tricked by her, but he could tell she was lying from the very beginning and Rya also confirmed it.
Orson on the other hand had his doubts.
“Aster… I trust you, but she did make an oath, so if she were lying the heavens would have punished her right?”.
Eris snorted.
“If you were going to be so easily influenced by this woman’s false tears, you shouldn’t have come, descendant of the Millefiore”.
Orson wanted to reply but Aster interrupted him.
“For starters she isn’t the cosmos tree, that was confirmed by someone to whom I will entrust my life, secondly her “oath” was false, she swore as the “cosmos” tree not as Mylene Karel, so it won’t work, that’s why she didn’t hesitate to activate the killing array”.
Aster smiled at Mylene.
“I will give you five seconds, if you swear upon your name with the heavens as witnessed, that everything you said was true, I will tell them to let you go and confine Eris instead… that is if you are who you say you are”.
Mylene’s expression became poisonous.
“I curse you mortal; you will die a misera… aghhh”.
Before Mylene could finish her threat, Lilia pressed her hand downwards and she forcefully dislocated Mylene’s shoulder, causing them to scream due to pain.
Lilia put on a smiling lovely face as she spoke.
“Your five seconds are over so shut up, insulting my darling in front of me it’s just asking to die ♥”.
Aster handed Aurelian’s book to Orson, but this time it was open.
“Read it, what she told us before are the exact words that are written in there, with only one exception the last page has phrase written with blood”.
Orson went to the last page and read out loud what was written on it.
“Black and white inversed”.
Mylene’s eyes widened in shock, she knew every movement and even every word Aurelian spoke thanks to the curse she placed on his soul, that’s why she was sure Aster didn’t have the key of the diary, and even if he had it, there was no way for Aurelian to leave a hint about it.
Aster shook his head.
“You might have tricked the old man for a long time… but he never trusted your so-called noble mission, that’s why that last message and the key only appeared after his soul dissipated”.
Seeing her shocked expression Aster laughed.
“That’s right, from the very beginning the old man which you disdained so much had you in check… don’t underestimate mortals”.