"Leo already got married, so I don't have to worry anymore about your future. I'll be hoping for kids from you both soon. I'll be a happy aunt when that happens." Mila giggled to see their reactions, making Leo look at her with a glare while Luce turned red from the thought of it once Mila had mentioned.

"Mila... when did you become this bold?" Leo looked at Mila who was indeed bolder than before. She had more confidence in her words which would make one rather worried about her in the future if she said anything wrong in front of the wrong group of people or even the royal family.

"Hmm... I don't know. It's probably instinct." Mila smiled, seeing how Leo was being more and more expressive than she remembered since he would struggle to express his emotions. Cotton was soon sound asleep with Net as they cuddled together for warmth while sleeping in the carriage.

"Who are these beasts?" Leo pointed to the two that were sound asleep next to Mila. He didn't know if the two little beasts were the ones that Mila was looking for.

"They are my new friends. The Cottontail Raccoon is Cotton. The Newt is Net. But, they are not my beasts through a contract which I am sure that you can tell. It may seem like it, but they are my beloved friends who I do not force to make a contract with." Mila petted their heads, knowing that Cotton and Net loved it when Mila petted their heads since they felt warmth from her comfort. Cotton started kicking her feet in the air since Mila was scratching her good spot behind her ear. 'You still act like a child.' Mila couldn't help but see how spoiled Cotton always was with her.

Luce giggled, seeing how beasts favored Mila with a single touch that she did to them. "It's good that you have these beasts. Are they perhaps in a contract with you?"

"No, they just came along and joined. I had no intention of tying them with me, and they chose the path on their own." Mila wasn't going to force them into any contract, but she also didn't want any more beasts than what she already had.

"That's strange. They just followed and that's it." Luce didn't think that such beasts would follow someone without a contract. She found it rather rare to be able to see such a scene in front of her.

Mila wasn't going to tell them about her ability to speak to beasts without a contract. She had even warned her group and comrades to avoid telling anyone since it could lead to danger with more people other than the Mana Hunters to chase after her. Their carriage stopped, making Mila see her home where her father had been patiently waiting for her. "Let's go meet father!" Mila hopped out of the carriage with Cotton and Net waking up to chase after her.

[I wonder if we will still be able to stay with Mila.] Cotton looked over to Net who ended up hopping onto her head to hang on since she was able to run faster than him.

[I'm pretty sure that we can. Mila would never allow us to be homeless since she has been with us for three years. She is not someone who would keep us and then toss us out after.] Net knew that it was not Mila's type of attitude or thought to abandon them.

[You're right! Let's see if we can see her room or even get a few snacks here!] Cotton laughed along with Net which they loved snacks from all around the kingdom.

"She sure is a lively and talented child. If only I had met her sooner." Luce then took Leo by the hand as she got down from the carriage with his support.

"You would never believe how different she was from before," Leo said, taking Luce into their home as his one and only wife. He needed to explain to his father about his marriage to Luce.

It was night which was about the time that everyone was eating in the dining room with her other half-siblings and stepmothers. Mila didn't care since she was too excited to meet her father after the event apart for so long.

"Lady Mila is back!!!"

"The third young lady is back!!!"

"My lady don't run!"

The knights, servants, and maids were all yelling within the halls and corridors with joy. Mila giggled, reaching the dining room with the doors opened by the knights who smiled to welcome her back. Mila smiled, seeing Duke Reynard who turned to see her alive and well. He was just looking down at his plate of food when he heard the ruckus outside and saw the dining room doors open to see the familiar girl with a smile on her face.

"Father!" Mila ran, hugging him while he hugged her back without any hesitation. "I'm home!" She nuzzled her face into his chest, hearing his heart beating knowing how worried he was for her throughout all these years.

"Welcome home, Mila." Duke Reynard always ate alone or with Leo, but he had a surprise with him this time.

"I met with Leo on the way home. He got married also!" Mila blurted out surprising Duke Reynard who saw the woman that his son had just married. Yet, while looking around, she noticed that her half-siblings and stepmothers were not eating with her father which she assumed that he didn't want to be with them.

"Father, I will explain myself. Right now, we also have another matter with Mila." Leo said, looking to Mila seeing how she would just expose everything all at once to their father.

"Come to my office. We will talk there." Duke Reynard was about to just let Mila follow when she took him by the hand.

"I want to hold my father's hand." Mila giggled while Duke Reynard knew he couldn't refuse her. Everyone had all gone into the Duke's office to discuss the matter that involved Leo and Mila, his two most treasured children.

"So, where do we start?" Duke Reynard didn't know if they should start with Mila's return or Leo's unexpected marriage with Luce.

"Father, Baron John was given a deal to sell a Mireraweth Heart to unknown men. It is said that only an emperor or empress can afford such jewelry and fine gems. Since they were going to target his family then Leo had to marry Luce while Baron John had to go into hiding." Mila explained little by little which surprised Duke Reynard to find out how knowledgeable his daughter was to think of such a solution.

"The Mireraweth Heart? Why would someone want such a thing that only belongs to the emperor and empress?" Duke Reynard didn't understand why they would want it when it was only bestowed to the royal family.

Mila was thinking and thinking until it finally clicked in her mind. "Tim, do you know if there are certain stones that can hold mana?" She asked Tim, who caught on quickly, knew what she meant.

"Yes, there is. Are you thinking that the jewelry they tried to get a hold of can hold much more mana?" Tim was quite fascinated that Mila would think of such a thought about the Mireraweth Heart.

"If it's possible, then it can relate to the Mana Hunters in the end. I was assuming that it did not involve them, which it seems as though things have taken a turn now." Mila held her chin thinking about it once more, unsure if it truly was what they thought or not.

"You encountered Mana Hunters?" Duke Reynard got up, going over to Mila to see her. He held a look of worry and concern that his daughter had been targeted by the Mana Hunters.

"Father, I'm fine. The Mana Hunters have limited mana that they can use. It's not like they can hurt me forever." Mila knew that he would worry about her once he knew that Mana Hunters were chasing after her.

"You should've never gone and disappeared like that for a whole three years. Do you know how worried I've been since you left this place?" Duke Reynard confessed, looking at his youngest child who did not care about the dangers that she encountered. Embarking on a long journey made him worried about her for the past three years.

"Father, I was growing up, that's why. Embarking on that journey made me open my eyes and heart for the people. This journey is what made me who I am today. I am no longer the little girl that has to hide and coward away like people who wait until it's too late. I want to be able to protect you and everyone that I love in this mansion." Mila knew that her father would worry, but the journey made her grow up more than she knew it. 'Even though I didn't have many interactions before in my first life. This journey truly has given me a bigger picture to see which is more than I ever would have seen than to stay here.' Mila was not going to hide away any longer, not like her past. This was her new chance and new life, she had to make the most of it.

"You are a strange child. I wonder how I was blessed with you in my life." Duke Reynard spoke his mind, seeing how Mila was stronger and clever. "Why are you still wearing the mask?" He then asked, seeing that her mask was still on with her left side of the face covered by her hair.

Mila smiled, removing her mask as she pushed her hair aside. "Father, this is why." She kept her smile and saw the shocked look on her father's face. 'I knew what reaction was coming up.' She couldn't help but sigh, seeing how it was going to be hard for one to truly get comfortable with her face.

"How could this have happened?" He asked, seeing how the scar grew more within the three years.

"I will live with this my entire life. I do not care if I ever get married or not. As long as I am happy with my family and friends then I do not care about such looks." Mila knew that they wanted her to be happy, but she didn't want to get married for the most part in this life since she worried about her life this time.

"I have two people who also helped me along the journey. I would like to have them live here as well or the conditions that they want. They are not bad people, to begin with." Mila introduced Tim and Thelma who gladly wanted to stay by Mila's side but refused to live in her home.

"We pledge our loyalty to Lady Mila. She is one of the greatest people that we have met so please allow us to stay here for her." Thelma said with Duke Reynard looking at them.

"Although, we will have a condition that we will discuss secretly with you about." Tim did not forget what he wanted. He had already spoken to Mila about it, who completely understood and allowed it, but he needed to tell Mila's father. They needed to see if Duke Reynard would help them set up a clinic in the Mireraweth Kingdom. In return, they would offer to help Duke Reynard when he called or summoned them at necessary times when Mila was hurt or even the duke himself.

"Very well. I'll have a room for you both to rest here then I'll see the condition. Emmett and Sara, you both have taken care of my daughter ever since she was very young. If you two wish to request for anything then I will be sure to do the best that I can to help you both." Duke Reynard said to Emmett and Sara when he had no clue that the both of them were a couple who were planning to get married soon.

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A/N: Just publishing after reality hit me. Still a lot going on so it's going to be tough trying to set up a proper schedule. Thanks for reading :)