Infinite wealth In A New World

"Sister-in-law?" Star called out softly, her voice carrying a fragile hope.

​Josephine's eyes fluttered open, the fog of unconsciousness slow to lift. Her gaze, still heavy, moved from Star's concerned face to the opulent, yet unfamiliar, bedroom. A wave of disorientation made her shake her head lightly.

​"Where am I?" she asked, sitting up. Then, the memory of the battle, of the overwhelming darkness, rushed back:

"Wait! Where is Sunny?!" Her face, moments ago clouded with confusion, twisted into a mask of pure panic and primal fear for her mate.

​"Calm down! He is safe," Star quickly reassured her, stepping closer. "He's with the other rulers and remaining elders of the Immortal Council."

​"Mum!"

​The door flew open with a bang, and Ellen rushed inside. She launched herself onto the bed, wrapping her small, fierce arms around her mother.

​A weary but genuine smile finally broke through Josephine's fear. She held her daughter tightly, grounding herself in the familiar weight of the hug.

"What happened while I was... well, off," she asked, her gaze fixed on Star, her tone now less panicked and more demanding of a full accounting. She caressed Ellen's hair, a silent acknowledgment of the strength her daughter had shown.

​Star began her account. "Well... The moment you fell unconscious, a wave of black energy—some kind of cosmic discharge, or whatever—fell from the atmosphere and entered all the Wendigos. Their power advanced to a terrifying degree; they became completely unhinged." A shadow crossed Star's face:

"Ellen's Giant summon was killed by them, and that stubborn Jinx got injured—don't worry, Ellen healed her." She quickly added, seeing the momentary flicker of alarm in Josephine's eyes.

​"Ellen also healed Leonardo's arm," Star continued, her voice swelling with pride for her niece: "And the Dragon and Xenon nations also formally pledged alliance with Sunny. We're consolidated now."

​"So much happened," Josephine murmured, her eyes wide with the implications of the turmoil and her daughter's heroism. She separated from the hug slightly, letting Ellen sit beside her.

"How long have I been gone? And how did you guys deal with the Wendigos, especially if their powers advanced?"

​"You'd been asleep for four hours," Star explained, rolling her eyes a little.

"Elder Mila said it has something to do with the 'mate bond' or some such spiritual nonsense. Frankly, I didn't listen." She exhaled, sinking onto the luxurious Queen-size bed and staring at the ceiling, her usual intensity momentarily muted.

​"As for your second question: a bright, impossibly bright, light spread out from outer space. It simply... wiped out all the Wendigos. Annihilated them. It even seemed to put the planets back in their correct orbits. Where the light came from? No one knows." Star sat up, a triumphant gleam returning to her eyes.

"But, our world is now free of Wendigos. The commanders are out claiming all the territories as we speak. By tomorrow, Eldoria will be the undisputed strongest nation, with all key resources in our hand."

​Josephine slowly nodded, a powerful sense of awe and profound relief settling over her. Her expression, previously marked by the anxieties of war, now held the quiet dignity of a Queen who had survived an impossible battle. A few short months ago, this victory was beyond her wildest dreams. Now, thanks to Sunny, her nation was at the pinnacle of power.

​"What about the Star Nation?" she asked, her focus immediately shifting to the lingering problem of their nemesis.

​"My investigations show Matilda has been missing for days," Star replied, her voice turning hard, the soft sister-in-law replaced by the ruthless swordmaster.

"No one knows her whereabouts, and those who might are keeping their mouths shut. Taking over the Star Nation without her presence won't be... satisfying. Besides," Star closed her eyes, a fleeting vision of her lost family flashing behind her eyelids:

"I still have a very personal business to settle with her. She must pay."

​KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

​The three women turned their heads toward the door, exchanging a silent look of shared anticipation.

​"Come in," Josephine called out, her voice regaining its steady, regal timbre.

​The door opened, and Sunny walked inside. He was dressed simply in a comfortable red fur coat and pants, but his presence seemed to fill the room with an almost visible, golden energy.

​"Come on, Ellen," Star said, sitting up immediately, recognizing the need for privacy. "Let's go check up on Jinx and see if she needs a proper lecture on situational awareness."

​"Okay," Ellen replied, jumping down from the bed, a renewed sense of purpose replacing the fear she'd felt earlier. She followed Star out, gently closing the door behind them.

​The moment the latch clicked, Josephine was off the bed. She practically launched herself into Sunny's arms, her initial terror resurfacing in a burst of desperate affection. She kissed him fiercely, a whirlwind of relief, before burying her face in his neck, clutching him as if he might dissolve into stardust the next moment.

​"Thank goodness you are okay," she whispered, the tough Queen temporarily forgotten. "I was so scared."

​"You need to know something," Sunny said, his own embrace tightening, drawing comfort and strength from her solid presence. He separated them slowly, his golden eyes serious and clouded with a fresh worry that hadn't been there before. He walked toward the bed and sat down, gesturing for her to join him.

​"I met someone after I defeated Lilith," he began.

​"Who?" Josephine asked, walking toward him and sitting beside him, sensing the profound weight of his admission.

​"I don't know her name," Sunny admitted, a flicker of confusion crossing his perfect features.

"Even my cosmic brain—can't detect her profile, her history, or her origin." He paused, a strange, faraway look in his eyes. "She made me promise."

​Josephine blinked in confusion, leaning in closer. "Promise? Promise what?"

​"My most precious thing," he said, the words heavy and slow. "She made me promise I will give her my most precious thing."

​"Your most precious thing?" Josephine's confusion deepened, laced now with a growing unease.

"What is that?"

​"You and Ellen are still here," Sunny stated, his gaze fixed on her, seeking an answer she didn't have.

"You two are the most precious people in my life, my most treasured possessions. But her promise must be something else entirely."

"...?!"

​Josephine was silent for a long moment, processing the implications of a being so powerful it could erase the Wendigos and make the strongest in the lower world promise his 'most precious thing.' She exhaled slowly, her gaze steadying on him.

​"Was she the one who destroyed the Wendigos?" she asked. Sunny slowly nodded.

​"Okay. My love, about your promise," Josephine said, her voice soft but resonating with newfound wisdom and maternal calm:

"You are strong. Your essence is tied to the existence of everything in this world. The fact that she can't be identified and yet saved us suggests something beyond our current understanding. I also don't know what the 'most precious thing' is, especially if it isn't us."

​She reached out and placed a hand gently on his cheek. "But promises made to beings of that magnitude are not to be taken lightly. For now, let's just keep it somewhere quiet in our hearts. We will know when the time is right, and only then will we be ready to face it."

​Sunny pondered her words, the simple, earthly wisdom of his Queen soothing his anxiety. He gave a slow, relieved nod. "You are right." He turned to her completely, his eyes glowing with renewed focus.

"I need your advice on something else. Something immediate."

​"What is that?" Josephine asked, staring into his golden eyes, ready now to be his Queen, his advisor, and his anchor.