"I’ve secured Aust’s forces."

That day, after returning to the estate, Leonia proudly reported to Ferio what they had accomplished.

"We handed Meridio over to the Imperial Palace under the pretext of refurbishing dangerous southern regions."

"And since it was House Voreoti that proposed the idea, we also agreed to provide assistance. Her Majesty the Empress approved it, and we gained a justification to dispatch the Gladiago Knights!"

Varia, who spoke alongside her, was visibly excited.

She was quite elated at the fact that they’d engaged in a battle of nerves with both the Empress and the Consort.

‘...Two puppies.’

Ferio looked at his daughter and wife and saw nothing more than two puppies hopping around, begging to be praised.

The small black puppy barked furiously for him to hurry up and give compliments, while the slightly larger pink puppy wagged her tail energetically, eyes gleaming round with excitement.

"That’s truly impressive."

So Ferio patted Leonia’s head and kissed Varia on the lips.

The pink puppy giggled shyly, and Ferio was very satisfied. It looked like he’d be getting a good workout in bed again tonight.

"This isn’t what I want!"

But the black puppy wasn’t so easily pleased.

"Give me shirtless Manus oppa! I wore that stuffy knight uniform and held back, you know!"

Leonia already had her sketchbook and charcoal pencil in hand. Ferio was honestly impressed by his daughter’s thorough preparedness.

"Only after the promise with me."

"No touching the muscles without permission, only looking during sketching, and no emotionally scarring teasing of Manus oppa!"

"Go on, then."

"KYAAAAA!"

Leonia, thrilled, bolted off toward the training hall.

"Um, is this really okay?"

Varia asked ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) in a slightly worried voice.

"I mean, I know our Leo is good at keeping boundaries, but still..."

She was concerned that Manus might be forced into something uncomfortable.

"You needn’t worry."

Ferio replied with confidence.

"I asked for his consent in advance, and we agreed on proper compensation."

"What kind of subordinate says no to their boss?"

Varia pouted.

She herself had worked in the Finance Department and had been forced to carry out unfair tasks more than once.

Of course, those had dwindled sharply once she became known as the Beast of the Treasury.

"You still don’t quite understand how Gladiago works."

Ferio looked at her fondly.

In truth, Manus had volunteered to model shirtless himself.

He was just overshadowed by Leonia, but Manus was the one in Gladiago with the biggest interest in muscles. His massive build was entirely the result of that passion.

"Since Leo draws so well, he wanted to preserve his muscles in art."

"Oh, I completely understand."

Varia nodded fervently.

"Gorgeous muscles must be preserved at all costs. Our Leo is performing a noble act."

"It’s not noble—it’s harassment, just lightly restrained."

"Ferio, aren’t you going to have your muscles drawn too?"

"Our little pervert sketches me any chance she gets, so it’s fine."

With a short sigh, Ferio then asked Varia about what happened at the Imperial Palace.

"The lighthouse ghost helped a lot."

Varia smiled lightly.

"But it really surprised me."

The fact that the lighthouse ghost was actually the young heir of House Aust had been a shock.

"It surprised me too."

But for Ferio, that revelation clarified a number of suspicions.

Why Consort Usia and First Prince Alis had taken a holiday to the southern villa. Why the heir of House Aust, whose name was virtually unknown, had chosen to pose as a ghost.

"The lighthouse ghost was the go-between."

The one who fed information to Consort Usia and Prince Alis, and orchestrated the scheme to corner the Emperor and Olor.

"Do you know the Aust heir?"

Varia asked.

"I saw him a few times when we were children."

"What kind of person was he?"

"The kind I could’ve snapped with a flick of my hand."

Ferio mimed breaking a branch to emphasize his point. That’s how weak the Aust heir had been in his memory.

In fact, Ferio was more shocked that the man had actually fathered a child than by the idea of him being the mastermind behind anything.

"And Her Majesty?"

"She said something as we parted."

"And that was?"

"She said, ‘I want to stretch wide and far.’"

At that, Ferio chuckled quietly.

"Well, it would’ve been stifling."

***

A night without even stars.

Wearing a hood drawn deep over his face, Prince Alis slipped through the darkness into a shadowy alley.

At the end of the twisting, winding alley was a long-abandoned tavern.

Old liquor bottles littered the doorway—perhaps a sign of what it once was.

It reminded Alis of the Emperor’s office as he stepped inside.

"Lus."

Alis frowned. He glanced sideways with clear displeasure at the twin sister who’d arrived before him and was waiting.

"This isn’t good."

"Oh, Ali, really."

Salus placed her hands on her hips, wearing the expression of someone scolding a child.

"When you see your sister, you should greet her first."

"...Been well?"

Only after that reluctant greeting did a smile bloom on Salus’s face.

"Of course I’ve been well. What about you?"

"I haven’t."

"Huh? Why?"

"I’m not in the mood for jokes right now."

Alis dropped into a chair and pulled off his hood. Running a hand through his messy green hair, he narrowed his eyes.

"Voreoti caught us off guard."

"No kidding."

Salus let out a bitter laugh.

"Voreoti is terrifying, huh?"

"Lus, this isn’t the time for wordplay."

"I know, but what can we do? Meridio’s already under surveillance."

Salus sounded indifferent, like someone who didn’t waste time worrying about what couldn’t be undone.

The Empress had requested Meridio’s cooperation to prevent safety incidents in the South.

And House Voreoti, in support, was now sending Gladiago Knights to assist in the region.

"I saw it in the paper."

Salus recalled today’s article.

"What did it say? Something about this event helping ease tensions between the North and South?"

"Tensions, my ass..."

Alis scoffed at the article.

"The supposed enmity between regions was something Aust incited to hunt Olor. It would’ve resolved soon even without this."

"But the real problem is that Voreoti found that out."

Salus rested her chin on her hand with a languid smile.

"Voreoti knows everything we’re up to."

They knew the truth about Consort Usia. The connection between Aust and Meridio. That the ones hiding away were now plotting rebellion.

And yet, the black beasts weren’t truly concerned with any of it.

They wouldn’t care if the others tore each other apart—so long as they weren’t affected.

"Was Voreoti ever that loyal to the Imperial Family?"

Alis thought back to what he’d seen of them.

Leonia, with that smug attitude of hers, came to mind immediately.

Ferio went without saying.

"It’s not about loyalty."

Salus giggled knowingly at her brother’s predictable line of thought.

"It’s pride."

The arrogant, shameless black beasts didn’t care about loyalty or rebellion.

They were simply outraged by the idea of being used as chess pieces in someone else’s game.

"Unbelievable."

Alis clicked his tongue.

"They can’t even reflect on their own history."

"Still, Voreoti really is impressive."

"Lus, whose side are you on?"

"Yours and Mom’s, of course."

But she couldn’t help liking that black-haired cousin.

Even after being threatened by the Fangs of the Beast, it hadn’t been scary—just like being swatted by a feisty kitten.

"Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all get along as a family?"

"You don’t mean Lady Voreoti?"

"Well, there’s some blood in common, isn’t there?"

"Family, my ass."

Alis couldn’t even laugh.

He had seen exactly what that “family” had done at the Rite of Honor to avoid being considered family. It was downright brutal.

"She acts like the world revolves around her."

"Funny—Leo said the same about you..."

A case of mutual self-loathing?

Salus kept her thoughts to herself. She found her quarrelsome siblings endearing.

"...In any case."

Pushing those warm and fuzzy feelings aside, Salus said,

"The plan might’ve been thrown off, but Meridio isn’t completely neutralized."

"How many can they still mobilize?"

"Can’t say for sure. But they won’t be obstructed further."

In fact, under the pretense of aiding the Empress, Meridio could now enter the capital.

‘The problem is...’

Salus wasn’t confident in their plan’s success anymore.

‘It depends on Voreoti.’

Sometimes.

Actually—very often.

Maybe from the very moment she and Leonia crossed paths and revealed secrets—

Salus had the eerie sense that Voreoti could destroy all their plans in a single stroke. With almost comical ease.

‘It’s not even based on ability...’

They were the ones who could see the future.

So why was it that Voreoti seemed to act as though they were the ones manipulating it?

Even if it was just a vague hunch, Salus felt it was more certain than any future she had ever seen.

***

A chessboard was laid out.

Leonia scattered colorful animal-shaped chess pieces across it.

The clattering pieces were all made of priceless gemstones. According to Ferio, a single piece cost as much as an entire estate.

"The white tiger?"

"Took its cub."

At Ferio’s question, Leonia moved the white tiger piece westward.

After that, she didn’t need any more questions—she began moving the pieces on her own.

"The blue snow leopard promised cooperation..."

The blue snow leopard tapped the red swan piece and then moved eastward. The red swan fell over.

"The capital will be soothed by the cunning leopard."

The spotted leopard appeared in the center. Its piece was slightly raised above the rest on the board.

"And then."

Leonia picked the fallen red swan back up and placed several animals around it.

Among them was a pink rabbit.

"Next to the red swan..."

She gently set a yellow golden eagle beside it.

"Aww, how cute."

Perfect for holding hands and leaping off a cliff together.

"Your taste is something else."

Ferio looked appalled.

"But Dad."

Leonia told him to think generously.

"Isn’t it sweet? Falling into the abyss together, hand in hand?"

The end was right in front of them.