[Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]

    Chapter 97

    "Hello, Professor Myorn. Lord Stein is here as well."

    Princess Violet''s face was the same as always.

    An ice mask covered half of her face.

    And on the exposed side of her face, a calm expression showed.

    She didn’t look like someone who had lost a brother just two days ago.

    "I’d like to purchase the newly developed knight’s mana suit."

    "Just now, Prince Bellos came and bought all of them."

    "Really? I was a bit late then. Well, can I reserve the next batch in advance?"

    "Alright. We''ll do that."

    "Then, there''s one more thing I’d like to ask."

    Princess Violet smiled faintly and asked Myorn.

    "Do you happen to know where Prince Kaylen is?"

    "Kaylen?"

    He''s right beside you.

    Myorn glanced at Kaylen, who was in his "Stein" form, and felt slightly embarrassed.

    But his fur hid it, so it wasn’t apparent.

    "Yes. I heard that he''s been working on research here together with us."

    "I see. He seems to have been busy lately, as I haven''t seen him around much."

    "Is that so? He doesn’t seem to be attending the academy these days either. I wonder if there’s any way to contact him?"

    "I''ll let him know that you’re looking for him, Princess."

    "Thank you, Professor."

    Once Princess Violet finished her business, she bowed and left the room.

    Myorn then looked at Kaylen.

    "What will you do?"

    "Hmm. It’s been two days since King ordered the dissolution of the First Prince faction, and now Violet is publicly resuming her activities..."

    "Even if she’s in seclusion, she can still meet with you, right?"

    "The purpose of her visit was to buy the knight’s mana suits. It’s rare for someone in seclusion to make such a purchase."

    "True. The First Prince faction was also dissolved, so why did she come to buy them?"

    "Maybe the King lifted her seclusion."

    "The King? After only two days? Why would he do something so improper...?"

    "Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t, but something must have happened to the King."

    "Ah."

    Something happened that could have led to the lifting of her seclusion.

    Myorn quickly realized.

    Just this morning, something that could shock the King had occurred.

    When he woke up, there was a dagger stabbed into his bedside.

    "Does she see Stein as a threat?"

    "It seems so."

    Now that it was clear that the Sword Master wasn’t friendly towards him...

    She might have thought that to keep him in check, she would need the power of the Princess, who owns an S-class mana suit.

    ‘They call it the Shadow Realm, but it seems the moment my life was at risk, their actions became much quicker.’

    Was Princess Violet’s visit a sign of the King’s intentions?

    Kaylen felt that he needed to meet the Princess and find out what their true purpose was.

    ‘I should set up the relationship between Kaylen and Sword Master Stein properly.’

    The man who created the Civil Squad, Kaylen.

    Stein, who claims to have inherited the teachings of Ernstine, the first emperor of the Myorn Empire.

    Since they were both conducting research together at Myorn’s workshop, there was some room to speculate about their connection.

    ‘The story of inheriting Ernstine’s enlightenment was only told to the saint, but it’s still better to think ahead about Kaylen and Stein’s relationship.’

    With that thought, Kaylen returned his face to its usual expression.

    "Shall we go meet them now?"

    "I was planning to head to the academy. If it’s urgent, they’ll probably approach me there."

    "Alright, understood."

    Ziiing.

    Kaylen deactivated the Mana Suit Expert and placed the gauntlets on the desk.

    "Myorn, there will be increasing demand for Mana Suits in the workshop, so don’t you think we should expand?"

    ‘The real problem is that he could threaten me anytime... My life is completely in the hands of the Sword Master, it could go either way depending on his mood.’

    There were surely more documents sent to Melzrek Lodge than just this one.

    Now that he had this report, he could assume that other documents were also in Stein''s hands.

    That meant he would have to keep watching his back, always under the Sword Master''s scrutiny.

    No, it would be lucky if that was all he had to worry about.

    What if Stein suddenly changed his mind and came to punish the king?

    How would he stop him?

    ‘There’s no guarantee that the Sword Master’s sword won’t eventually be aimed at the royal family...’

    The Sword Master, who had appeared after hundreds of years, was still without much power, having just shown himself recently, but the knights who had seen him were completely enamored with his sword.

    Wherever he went, it was all about Sir Stein, Sir Stein.

    Praise for him filled the air.

    King Kaiten grew more wary of Stein.

    ‘I need a way to keep the Sword Master in check...

    To do that, I’ll need at least a force that can match him.’

    ‘It’s a good thing Violet is here.’

    Ignoring the order for his confinement, King Kaiten headed straight to Violet''s room.

    In the shadows, a power struggle between the first and second prince factions was unfolding.

    This was after Violet showcased the power of the S-class Mana Suit, causing the first prince faction to slowly gain the upper hand.

    When the Oblaine Duke family, the core of the second prince faction, came under attack by a monster army, the quick-witted nobles already began to think the outcome was decided and started aligning with the first prince faction.

    ‘It seems the throne will go to my older brother.’

    Yeah.

    Up until now, everything had been going in their favor.

    That is, until everything changed in a single day.

    Her trusted older brother had been a puppet.

    Her father, who had trampled the bones of Ora Bi, the demon king’s servant, ordered her confinement, asking where the woman thought she could go.

    The once-political rival, the second prince, was now gleeful. The first prince faction had lost its reason for existence.

    Tap. Tap.

    Violet stared out the window, absentmindedly tapping her mask.

    ‘It feels like I’ve gone back to before being chosen by Glacia.’

    Before becoming the master of the S-class Mana Suit Glacia, Violet''s future had seemed bleak, so dark she couldn’t see ahead.

    Her mother, executed as a traitor. Her older brother in poor health. The Oblaine Duke faction, led by the second prince, relentlessly pressured them.

    Had she not obtained Glacia, her older brother would have been exiled, and she would have been married off to a powerful noble family.

    But after being chosen by Glacia, her life turned around completely.

    She gained the strength to form the first prince faction and received the support of the Mage Tower.

    After years of hard work, it seemed the throne would soon be in the first prince’s hands...

    Now, however, the future seemed once again shrouded in darkness.

    ‘Diether Hart, older brother...’

    As Violet thought of her brother, a deep sadness filled her.

    She also felt betrayed.

    While he had left her with most of the responsibilities, he spent all his time reading books in the demon language.

    Had he been a puppet all along?

    Was it because he rarely took part in external affairs?

    ‘The Meisters I brought in, he turned them into vampires...’

    Thinking about them, Violet couldn’t bring herself to face them.

    Yeah.

    Even if she hadn’t known, she had aided the followers of the demon realm.

    She had no choice but to accept her confinement.

    But...

    ‘What will happen to the people who believed in me and followed me?’

    Many of the talents in key positions in the capital had stood with the first prince faction...

    Second prince Bellos hadn’t taken kindly to that.

    If he became king, many would face demotion.

    Violet, burying her sorrow over losing her older brother, started to worry about the vassals of the first prince faction.

    Crash.

    “Violet!”

    The door suddenly burst open as King Kaiten entered her room.

    [Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]