“Father...!”

Fides burst into the ceremonial hall of the inner palace.

The emperor, who had been putting on his cloak with the help of attendants, slowly turned.

“Fides. Have you finished your preparations?”

“This... ha—!”

Out of breath from running, Fides inhaled sharply several times.

He braced one hand against the wall and continued,

“It’s about Theseos Luminel! You were right, Father!”

The emperor’s brows drew together slightly.

He raised his hand, and the attendants stepped back.

Adjusting his cloak, pulling it tightly around himself, the emperor walked toward Fides.

“I was right? About what, exactly?”

A few weeks ago, when they had been preparing the invitations for the Ascension Ceremony,

the emperor had seated Fides and told him two things.

First—that Theseos Luminel, unnoticed by them, had switched sides and joined Agavert.

Second—that, with high probability, House Luminel already knew.

But—

“That... it’s not that, both... no, not both? Anyway, the fact that Theseos Luminel is in Agavert—that’s certain! I don’t know when he joined, but...!”

Watching Fides fumble, the emperor let out a quiet sigh.

“And you rushed here for that?”

“Huh? Well... yes. It’s urgent.”

A flicker of displeasure passed through the emperor’s eyes.

Tall.

A handsome face inherited from him.

Without a doubt, Fides was his favored son.

But—

‘If only he were even a little smarter.’

If Fides had been more perceptive, getting rid of Ardiana would not have been so difficult.

Clicking his tongue, the emperor sat down in a chair.

“Fides. I entrusted you with keeping watch over Theseos.”

Fides pressed his lips together.

Aware they might be observed, he coughed lightly, and the attendants withdrew from the hall.

The emperor sighed again.

“It seems you understand how shameful this is.”

“Father, I didn’t—”

“When Saint Eleonora died, and Theseos Luminel disappeared, I told you clearly.”

“......”

“He was too valuable to simply lose. Watch him carefully.”

The emperor picked up a blade of herb from the table and placed it on his tongue.

He chewed slowly for a moment before continuing.

“Looking back now, I didn’t just give an order. Even the fact that he had formed a mercenary group—I investigated that myself and passed it on to you. That was more than enough. But you...”

The emperor let out a low groan.

Then he looked at Fides with unmistakable disappointment.

“I said the same to Ardiana back then. If possible, do not assign him state missions. Ardiana executed it perfectly. After all, she is the one who runs the association.”

Fides clenched his fist.

“Did I ask so much of you?”

The emperor’s voice grew even quieter.

“At least handle the basics. The basics, at the very least.”

“......”

“Yes, I’ve already decided the next throne will be yours. But how many times have I told you—the influence of meritorious nobles cannot be ignored.”

“......”

“No matter how much I support you, if they all say ‘no’ in one voice, you will lose even what you have. That is power. Even a golden throne collapses if its foundation crumbles.”

In the silence, the emperor rose and lightly patted Fides on the shoulder.

“That said, the uniform suits you.”

The emperor passed him.

And as soon {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} as his footsteps faded and the door closed—

BAM!

Fides slammed his fist onto the table.

“Damn it! Damn it, damn it all!”

Grinding his teeth, he flung his eyes open.

“I’m already drowning in work! I’m buried in state affairs—how am I supposed to investigate every little thing too?!”

When Theseos had disappeared,

the emperor had indeed ordered him to keep watch.

The blood of the Luminel family.

A man who had inherited both magic and divine power—troublesome, but full of potential.

Even the commander of the palace knights had always said—

Theseos was more talented than his three older brothers... perhaps even more than the head of the house, Valentis.

But still—

‘Wasn’t it enough to learn that he founded that... what was it... Tregava or whatever?’

Besides, he had never imagined that man would become the deputy leader of Agavert.

In truth, all of this could have been discovered if he had just asked the right question once.

All it would have taken was sending someone to the capital’s Rewards Bureau.

But—

‘I’m busy!’

The emperor understood nothing.

That useless fool Ardiana had all the time in the world—that was why she could handle association matters.

But he was different.

‘I have more work than I can handle. How am I supposed to track trivial things like that too?’

Even so—

what could he do.

No matter what, the emperor was both his father and the ruler of this country.

“Endure. I’ve always endured anyway.”

Muttering this, Fides looked at the table he had just struck.

He wanted to smash something, but this was the emperor’s space.

He couldn’t touch either people or objects here.

Otherwise, he might provoke his wrath.

“In any case.”

Fides straightened the skewed table and turned.

“Soon, this humiliation will end, Ardiana.”

After the Ascension Ceremony, Ardiana was to be sent to the central continent.

To a dangerous zone where Magic Crystals erupted.

In effect—a death sentence.

Fides ran a hand through his neatly combed hair and opened the door.

At the far end of the long corridor,

voices were already drifting in—laughter, conversation.

The celebration had begun.

“...This is a bit...”

In the banquet hall where the opening was taking place,

Tie blinked at Basto’s voice.

“Oh, Lady Violeta! It’s been so long. I hear your son Noam will lead the vanguard?”

“My goodness, is House Larian participating as well? What a coincidence!”

Dressed-up aristocratic ladies exchanged cheek kisses and chatted lively.

“They say His Majesty personally hosted this reception—you can really feel the difference.”

“Yes, yes! Have you seen the table decorations?”

Tie’s gaze drifted toward those decorations.

On the ladies’ tables were neatly arranged silverware and beautiful plates.

“Leader, don’t look there.”

Bale said quietly.

Tie turned her head to where he pointed.

Then tilted it.

“Strange...”

Why is it different?

The table assigned to Agavert looked empty.

Only napkins and utensils—no decorations, no elegant candlesticks.

“Well, it’s not like we expected anything else.”

Bale said.

But Tie’s brows drooped further and further.

“But... there aren’t even any sweets...”

There were no fruits, no cakes, no cookies on their table.

Sadness filled the girl’s eyes.

“That’s not fair.”

More than anything in the world, Tie hated unfairness.

And here—even at a celebration before their departure, they were being separated like this...

“Leader. There’s bread here. You like bread.”

Basto, already seated, called to her, trying to comfort her.

But Tie couldn’t move right away.

Sadness slowly filled her gaze—

“Well, well, who do we have here!”

A voice rang out from behind.

Tie turned around.

Before her stood a dignified elderly lady with a cane and a wide smile.

“The leader of Agavert, the King of the Dead himself, is it not? I, Walker Wavril, finally have the honor of greeting you!”

Tie’s eyes widened as the woman approached and kissed her on the cheek.

All eyes immediately turned toward them.

The wealthiest woman in the empire.

A woman who rarely appeared at official events.

And she was greeting someone so warmly—

a mercenary who was being quietly ignored here.

“But what is this seating arrangement?”

Walker Wavril suddenly said loudly.

And the hall fell into instant silence.