A few seconds later, Vega opened her eyes with renewed clarity, her emotions now steadied, her earlier disappointment and uncertainty dissolved as though such things could no longer cling to her spirit. The storm within had passed, leaving behind an inner calm that radiated outward.

She exhaled deeply, as though expelling the heavy weight she had carried only moments before. Then, with a grace that seemed to command the very air, her smile returned, a smile so radiant it seemed capable of melting entire worlds, disarming in its warmth, irresistible in its purity.

Amara rose from her seat and walked toward her daughter once more. But this time, it was not to embrace Vega as she had earlier, but for a different purpose entirely. Reaching into Klaus's hand, Amara gently retrieved one of The Fateweaver's Charms.

With tender care, she clasped it around Vega's neck. The pendant shimmered faintly, resting against her skin as though it had been forged with her in mind from the very beginning, its design perfectly harmonizing with her natural elegance. Without hesitation, Amara hung the second pendant beside the first, their delicate chains layering gracefully together, the twin charms glistening as if they belonged there.

Without uttering a word, Amara then placed the two Golden Die Of Eternity into Vega's hands, folding her daughter's palms around them with deliberate care, as though silently instructing her: Do not let go. Do not allow even one to fall. Guard them, always.

Vega's lips parted in a soft smile. "I suppose this will be the best birthday of my entire life," she said gently, before leaning back against the chair. With a quiet sigh of contentment, she rested her head upon Anthony's shoulder, the affection in her gesture speaking volumes that words could never equal.

Klaus, ever the dramatist when it came to his daughter, could not resist. His expression shifted, his brows furrowed with exaggerated pain as he said, "Don't you think it's a little unfair? You've spent nineteen birthdays with us, and yet the very first you spend with your boyfriend, you immediately declare it to be your best birthday ever. Just like that, every gift, every journey, every surprise your mother and I gave you is sidelined as though it were nothing." His tone carried a theatrical sting, as though he had been betrayed by the person he treasured most.

Vega tilted her head slightly, her smile never faltering. "You wouldn't understand, Dad," she replied sweetly, her voice lilting with gentle mischief. "You aren't a woman."

Klaus blinked, his jaw dropping a little. "Amara, back me up here," he said, turning toward his wife in mock desperation.

Amara's lips curved into a knowing smile, her eyes soft as she spoke. "Our daughter's words are nothing but the truth."

Klaus shook his head at her answer, though inwardly he was amused. He had only been playing, after all. Deep down, he too believed Vega's words to be true.

Amara, however, had her own thoughts brewing beneath her composed expression. 'They will make beautiful children,' she mused, her maternal instincts bubbling to the surface.

'Should I suggest they start sooner rather than later? People of our level rarely bear children easily, and when we do, it may take eons of effort for even one to be born. Perhaps they could be fortunate… perhaps even sextuplets on the very first attempt. That wouldn't be too much, would it? And surely my grandchildren would be dazzling, after all, who could rival my daughter's beauty?' The thought alone made her heart stir with excitement.

But Amara was not alone in her private musings. Though Vega appeared calm and content, her mind raced in quiet turmoil. Anthony's birthday was approaching, and she had yet to decide on a gift. She herself had never cared much for receiving presents, but she understood the importance of giving them. And now, after all Anthony had done for her, how could she possibly find something worthy enough?

Anthony has set the standard impossibly high.

'How could I ever hope to match, let alone surpass, such love?' she thought, pressing her lips together in quiet frustration.

Her heart ached at the thought of inadequacy, though she quickly masked it with a serene expression.

'Is this the curse of wealth? That when you have too much, everything else feels so insignificant, so hollow?'

She sighed inwardly. 'I should probably ask Veronica for advice. She'll likely scold me for disappearing with Anthony without telling her, but I can handle her anger. Besides, she's probably preoccupied with her own boyfriend anyway.'

Anthony, meanwhile, remained quiet, his arm loosely draped around Vega's arms. He had nothing to add. Not because he lacked thoughts, but because, for the first time in a long while, he was officially broke. Not in the ordinary financial sense, money was the least of his concerns, but in the currency of the system itself. His reservoir of OP points had been drained completely.

'When was the last time I used up all of my points?' he wondered silently. 'Was it during the fight against The Executioner? Yes, that was it. I had to burn through everything to heal Kingsley's injuries that day. Speaking of Kingsley, I still owe him that spar. Though knowing him, it won't be a simple spar, it never is. Hah. Whatever. I shouldn't be thinking about a man while I'm with my woman.'

Time slipped away as they lingered in each other's presence. The family spoke and laughed, the atmosphere blossoming with warmth. Amara, filled with joy, began to recount Vega's childhood stories. Yet unlike before, Vega no longer begged her mother to stop. There was no embarrassment, no flustered plea to silence her. Instead, she smiled softly, recalling those memories with perfect clarity, her heart warmed by the nostalgia of simpler times.

Jenna entered quietly with a cart of refreshments, her presence unobtrusive yet timely. Though Vega's hands were occupied with the Golden Die of Eternity, she did not hesitate. With a flicker of will, she extended her telekinesis, gracefully manipulating the fruits into the air before her, plucking them delicately to eat as though her hands had never been bound.

The atmosphere remained harmonious, filled with laughter and tender conversation. But beneath the lighthearted exchanges, a subtle tension persisted, a quiet awareness that each of them was counting down the minutes. No matter how brightly they smiled, the weight of anticipation was impossible to ignore.

'Mother and Father should return within a day or two at the latest,' Anthony thought, his gaze distant for a fleeting moment. The League of Supremes loomed ever nearer, and with it, the inevitable confrontation. He had not forgotten about the Second Supreme Monarch. If anything, he looked forward to the reactions of the other Supremes when news of his sudden rise spread.

"It's almost time," Klaus's voice cut sharply through Anthony's thoughts, drawing his attention back to the present.

Only ten minutes remain, Anthony noted to himself, his pulse quickening slightly.

"Let's change the location," Amara said calmly. Her voice was neither loud nor commanding, but it carried weight enough to bend the very fabric of space itself. Without so much as lifting a hand, reality twisted at her words. The chamber around them warped and folded, and in the blink of an eye, they were gone.

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