“come and sit down. today’s meeting agenda isn’t light enough to waste time regarding seating arrangements.”

    so, why did he bother to call someone who was sitting still? although she put on a bewildered look, seira had somewhat guessed that this would happen. two thrones arranged side by side on a podium with no one being mentioned as an empress candidate, let alone a fiancée. wasn’t it obvious?

    “are you serious?”

    calrad, who squinted at seira’s question as he stared at her, nodded and replied, “yes.”

    “then… you leave me no choice but to do so.”

    it was perfect to be falsely accused of treason by disobeying the imperial order at this place where all of hesrad’s most high-ranking families were gathered. she didn’t know when she’d be alone next time, but she had to follow him now.

    seira passed louis’ seat, gently touching his shoulder. he raised his head and smiled at her, and that was enough to look like a friendly and understanding lover.

    recently, the two of them were seen spending time together everywhere, and it was like stamping a seal on the rumors that have spread like wildfire ever since.

    “…”

    as the distance between them grew closer, the look in calrad’s face turned more sinister in her eyes. seira moved on, watching the blue veins popping up on calrad’s jaw as he closed his mouth.

    when she finally reached calrad’s side before the empty throne…

    “it would have been better if his majesty hadn’t called me,” she whispered with a small voice.

    he hated when his ex-fiancée even talked to other alphas, so the feeling of having louis’ pheromones all over her would simply be disastrous.

    “your majesty owes me a debt because i obeyed his order with nothing in return.”

    if by chance aven came too late, she wanted calrad to forgive him in exchange.

    “…i will remember that.”

    she thought he might get angry, but calrad calmed down his anger sooner than she expected. he examined her carefully with sharp eyes as if he was afraid of something, and before too long, he withdrew his gaze and seira was able to sit and relax next to him.

    the agenda of the meeting was, as expected, the new beast’s nest. the atmosphere wasn’t good because it was less than a month after the 11th subjugation war ended, which lasted almost a year. besides…

    “they say it’s located in the ardennes islands.”

    “are you saying it was created on an island?”

    this time, cyril glad, who succeeded the marquis of glad, exclaimed in astonishment. the family heads with nearby territories also turned contemplative.

    as louis told seira, the location was terrible. the pirate-infested ardennes had long since ceased to be of interest to the empire. rather, the kingdoms of the east who wanted exchanges with hesrad were actively fighting piracy.

    however, it was impossible to ask them to get rid of the beast’s nest.

    “it would be better to organize a mission as swiftly as possible in secret.”

    “yes,” calrad agreed, “i plan to form a subjugation party with only above master level slayers and wizards. the resulting military vacuum and other costs will be covered by families that don’t have master-level power.”

    the nobles glanced at each other with a clear mix of relief and concern.

    after the catastrophe 15 years ago, it became the first duty of the nobles to remove the beasts’ nest. as a result, he wasn’t satisfied with dispatching knights or handling supplies just because the location of the nest was far from the territory he ruled.

    however, the number of master-class slayers and wizards was very rare, even if they belonged to high-ranking noble families. and even if they had them, most were the head of their respective families, so they had to be cautious.

    “the risk level seems to be distinctly different from before.”

    it was seira askan who broke the long silence. everyone’s eyes were on her at the clear, and soft-spoken voice, which contradicted the heavy atmosphere in the meeting room.

    “if i am allowed to do so, may i ask about the reward?”

    there was no one to criticize her for asking with a smile on her face. everybody knew that the only thing that could be called income in the devastated askan was the goods that seira and her knights earned from participating in the war as mercenaries.

    calrad, who looked for a moment at her violet eyes, glistened with anticipation, and answered, “i guarantee you three times as much as the 11th subjugation.”

    “wow…”

    seira, who gave an exclamation of joy, lifted her hand lightly to the side of her face and added, “seira askan, i’ll apply for this 12th expedition.”

    before her hand landed on her lap, a deep and low-pitched voice echoed through the hall.

    “i’ll join the war.”

    everyone was delighted by the support of baron jeff, the commander-in-chief who was never defeated, and looked at the person opposite him with expectant eyes.