By now, the vines entwined around Tristan had vanished.
Because of his confrontation with Morgan, the magic that Reiger had cast, having lost its power, also ceased to work, not only freeing Tristan but also liberating Beryl beside him, no longer bound.
But none of that mattered anymore.
"...Mother?"
Tristan, clutching his reddened cheek, looked at Morgan with eyes full of disbelief.
In front of her, Morgan's yet unwithdrawn hand revealed to everyone who was responsible for the slap sound and Tristan's reddened cheek.
"What are you doing?"
Morgan coldly looked at Tristan, questioning him with an emotionless voice.
"I... I..."
Tristan could not utter a complete sentence, shrinking back, his recent brutality and elegance gone, replaced by an unprecedented vulnerability that clearly showed his inner turmoil.
"Tell me," Morgan continued coldly, "what are you doing, Bawan Xi?"
Bawan Xi.
That was Tristan's real name.
