The northern morning was infamous for its bitter chill.

Even with a fireplace in the room, only smoldering embers remained by dawn, and the icy air crept through the windows.

It was at that moment Cassandra awoke.

As she stirred, an unsettling ripple spread through her chest.

“Huh…?”

Tears streamed down Cassandra’s tightly shut eyes.

Once again, she had dreamt.

In her dream, a man lay lifeless, his expression lonely.

Though his face was obscured, an inexplicable ache filled her heart.

She wondered who he was while a growing sense of unease began to take root in her mind.

If that man was…

“No, no... It’s nothing! I need to get ready quickly.”

Shaking off her dread, Cassandra pushed the thought aside.

Her dream had shown her more than just the lifeless man.

She had also seen someone arriving soon.

She shook her head and rose from the bed.

No longer the small child she once was, Cassandra’s features had matured slightly, though they still retained a hint of youthfulness.

She washed her face and began dressing herself.

Knock, knock.

“Yes, come in,” Cassandra called out.

A maid entered, carrying towels and clothing.

“Oh? Young Lady, you’re up early today?”

The maid, surprised, approached with a smile and handed Cassandra the towel.

“Thank you.”

“It’s just as well. You’ll be traveling somewhere quite far today.”

“Yes, I know,” Cassandra replied.

The maid shivered inwardly.

Every time Cassandra displayed this foresight, an inexplicable chill ran down her spine.

It was as though standing before Cassandra rendered her completely exposed.

Though she had served Cassandra for a long time, this feeling was one she could never grow accustomed to.

Suppressing her unease, the maid assisted Cassandra in finishing her preparations.

Just as Cassandra was about done, the rhythmic sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, halting outside her door.

“Are you ready?”

Cassandra turned toward the voice, her face lighting up with a bright smile.

“Yes, Lady Plum Blossom.”

* * *

Cough! Cough!

Each cough brought up blood, and Horik’s vision grew increasingly blurry.

He could feel it more with each passing day.

"My time is almost up."

How many days did he have left to live?

Horik knew his remaining time was short.

Haa… Haa…

Even breathing had become a laborious task.

"Just a little longer..."

Not yet.

It wasn’t time yet.

The image of his newborn crown prince swam before his eyes.

That young boy who had yet to utter his first words lingered in his mind.

He had hoped to hold on for a few more years, at least long enough to leave behind some semblance of stability.

But his body was so heavy.

His head drooped, and his legs no longer had the strength to hold him up.

With desperate eyes, Horik gazed out the window at the sky beyond, as if in prayer.

But his blurred vision saw only dark clouds.

He had hoped to find solace in the sight of the serene moonlight, but even that comfort was denied him.

Horik’s shoulders sagged under the weight of despair.

"The heavens are indifferent."

It was as if a weight hung from his eyelids, dragging them shut.

At that moment, a chill wind swept through the room.

“So, you are the king of humans.”

The voice, colder than ice, sent shivers down Horik’s spine.

“Guh… Guhh…!”

Horik clutched his chest and collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed by the sudden pain in his heart.

Writhing in agony, he tried to locate the source of the voice, but his vision swam, and he could see nothing.

"Why hasn’t Yoon come in yet...!?"

By now, the ever-vigilant Yoon should have burst into the room.

Especially someone as sharp as him—it was unthinkable that he wouldn’t act immediately.

"Why hasn’t he killed me yet...? Is this not the Court Duke’s assassin?"

Horik crawled across the floor, searching for the wall to prop himself against.

His eyes darted nervously toward the door.

“What are you searching for?”

The voice was mocking, and the sound of footsteps drew closer.

As the searing pain in his chest subsided, his blurred vision began to sharpen.

Slowly, Horik made out the figure approaching him.

“A dark elf?”

Horik’s voice quavered with disbelief.

For a dark elf to invade his bedchamber was beyond comprehension.

"Why?"

Horik’s thoughts spiraled into chaos.

The rarity of seeing a dark elf, the timing of this intrusion, and whether this could truly be the Court Duke’s doing—none of it made sense.

Elves were not a race known for senseless slaughter, nor was this an emissary of diplomacy.

"A dark elf radiating such malevolent intent...!?"

Everything he knew of their kind clashed with the reality before him.

And the wicked grin on this elf’s face only deepened his terror.

“You should feel honored. Your life is significant enough for me to come here personally.”

The words carried contempt, though the dark elf’s tone dripped with indifference.

"Significant… my life?"

Horik felt every hair on his body stand on end.

“Is no one outside!? Yoon! Where is Yoon!?”

Horik shouted desperately, but the door remained closed.

“Silence. This place is already mine.”

The dark elf crouched before Horik, leveling their gaze.

Reaching out, the elf placed a hand on Horik’s face.

In Horik’s dimming vision, all he could see was the elf’s sinister smile.

A light emanated from the elf’s hand, enveloping Horik’s face.

“W-what are you doing...!?”

“Be quiet.”

The dark elf’s left hand moved with precision, fingers plunging into Horik’s throat, piercing his vocal cords.

“Guh… Guhhhk!”

Horik convulsed in agony, his body trembling uncontrollably.

Dignity forgotten, he soiled himself, tears streaming down his face.@@novelbin@@

The dark elf’s expression twisted in disgust.

Slash!

Horik felt his vision spin, as though the world were turning upside down.

The last thing he saw was his own body, spewing blood like a fountain, while his severed head stared back at him with wide, lifeless eyes.

Quietly, without anyone knowing, Emperor Horik drew his final breath.

“Bastard…”

Bang!

The Second Apostle kicked Horik’s body in irritation, unable to hide his disgust.

"Calm down..."

Suppressing his boiling anger, the Second Apostle took Horik’s place on the throne, resting his chin on one hand.

Tapping his fingers against the armrest, he brooded.

"How pitiful."

The Second Apostle felt his pride crumble under the weight of his humiliation.

This operation hadn’t been his idea but a direct order from the First Apostle.

Had it been his choice, he would never have stooped to such degrading work.

But for the sake of the Nameless Lord, he endured.

"If I fail, I’ll end myself."

The First Apostle’s warning rang clear in his mind.

Even among apostles, there were those whose faces one avoided, and the First Apostle was undoubtedly one of them.

The rare instances when the First Apostle showed emotion were terrifying.

Recently, his fury had been palpable, like the flames of hell itself.

"Fine, I’ll play along. But if you don’t complete the grand plan, your life won’t be spared either."

Resolving himself, the Second Apostle extended his hand.

Zzzing.

A small black magic circle materialized in his palm.

Horik’s severed head, body, and fluids began to gather in one place.

Whoosh!

All traces of the emperor were consumed in flames and vanished without a trace.

Snap!

With a snap of his fingers, the barrier dissipated.

Knock, knock.

A knock echoed at the door.

The Second Apostle’s sharp gaze softened instantly, shifting to mirror the frail presence of Horik.

When he spoke, it was with the emperor’s weak, aged voice.

“Enter.”

***

“Finding this is proving to be quite the challenge.”

Theo was struggling to locate the imperial vault despite having a rare opportunity to search for it.

While he knew its exact location, that didn’t make the task any easier.

“There are too many eyes around, and the entrance is well hidden. It’s proving to be quite the nuisance.”

Crunch!

Lodbrok bit into an apple, his face weary with boredom, as he lounged in his chair.

"If it were easy to find, it wouldn’t be called a vault, would it?"

Several days had already passed since the search began, but the capital’s security was near impenetrable.

The Golden Lion Knights, who guarded the area directly, made it incredibly difficult to investigate without drawing attention.

"The anti-magic wards are the real problem."

Based on what Theo had learned, the wards didn’t cover the entire capital but were concentrated deep in the underground sections of the vault.

They rendered even invisibility magic useless.

He had thought Lodbrok, as a black dragon, might be able to infiltrate quietly, but even Lodbrok had dismissed the idea.

If someone like Lodbrok declared that conventional means were the only option, it meant stealth was off the table.

At this rate, Theo felt as though he might have to wait until Cassandra’s coronation before making another attempt at the vault.

"What a headache."

It felt as though he had hit a wall.

Although the system’s directives indicated this wasn’t an impossible task, the solution remained elusive.

"Should I meet with the emperor again?"

Felix’s earlier proposal crossed Theo’s mind.

If the emperor’s faction was desperate enough, they might grant him access to the vault.

"But knowing about the vault’s existence is the problem in itself."

Especially for someone from Ragnar.

If Theo wasn’t careful, rumors would spread that Ragnar had come to the capital specifically to raid the vault.

The Court Duke, in particular, would pounce on such an opportunity and tear into him without hesitation.

"This is why I needed Phanryong."

While Phanryong had always been a reclusive figure, he had always answered the clan leader’s call.

For him to go into hiding so openly could only mean lingering resentment from the past.

"Will he remain an enemy?"

Though Phanryong was no longer a true rival, Theo would need to neutralize him to absorb the foundation he had built in the capital.

As Theo pondered Phanryong’s whereabouts,

Knock, knock.

“There’s someone requesting an audience. Shall I let them in?”

The palace steward’s voice interrupted Theo’s thoughts.

Glancing at the door, Theo gave permission to admit the visitor.

"This person isn’t exactly noble themselves."

Theo couldn’t help but smile as the familiar figure stepped into the room.