"I understand what I need to do now." Paros nodded gratefully at Yuel. "Thank you for pointing me in the right direction."

He really meant it. Without Yuel’s guidance, he truly wouldn’t have known how to win Vincent over.

Yuel smiled and gave his shoulder a light pat. "It’s good that you understand. Just remember—this was your idea. I didn’t say anything."

He was... giving him all the credit? Paros felt even more grateful.

Without hesitation, he took out several more eleventh-rank worm cores and pressed them into Yuel’s hand.

"Yuel, I really appreciate it."

In this household, Nix was the most straightforward, but Yuel... was the kindest.

"You’re too polite."

Yuel spoke modestly, all the while smoothly slipping the worm cores into his spatial ring without a trace.

"Now that we’re done, I’ll go have breakfast."

With that, he turned and left.

Paros remained where he stood, watching Yuel’s retreating figure, his appreciation deepening.

He’s truly a good person, Paros thought.

Not only had Yuel pointed him in the right direction—he’d even offered advice and credited everything to him.

With a brother like that helping him... Becoming Rory’s partner suddenly felt much closer.

Vincent’s matter needed to be handled quickly.

Paros didn’t go downstairs to eat. Instead, he turned back to his room, opened his communicator, and contacted Ethan.

The call connected almost instantly. Ethan’s projection appeared before him.

"My Lord—why are you contacting me so suddenly? Has something happened in the Central District?"

His voice was filled with urgency and concern.

Paros never contacted him without reason, unless it was something important.

"I’m fine." Paros got straight to the point. "I need you to select a group of the fiercest, most combat-capable beasts from the Three Great Domains. Bring them to the Central District."

Ethan froze.

Select elite fighters... and bring them to Central District?

What was this for?

His heart began to pound. Had his lord’s mental state recovered? Was he... planning something again? Trying to stir up the Central District?

The more Ethan thought about it, the more uneasy he became.

"My Lord," he pressed carefully, "has your mental state stabilized? And... why do you need so many warriors?"

He hesitated, then added cautiously, "Does Rory know about this?"

Paros’s eyes darkened slightly. This old man asked too many questions.

"You don’t need to know the details. Just do as I say."

His tone cooled. "They must be the strongest. And obedient. The more, the better."

Without giving Ethan another chance to question him, Paros ended the call.

The screen went dark. Ethan stood there, stunned.

What... was his lord planning?

The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.

After a brief hesitation, he made a decision—he immediately contacted Rory.

She was with Paros every day. If anyone knew what he was planning, it would be her.

Whatever this was... it absolutely couldn’t turn into trouble in the Central District.

...

In the dining hall, Rory was in the middle of breakfast when her light-brain rang.

Seeing Ethan’s name, she looked slightly surprised.

Why was he calling now?

She answered anyway. "Elder Ethan, is something the matter?"

On the other end, Ethan’s voice was polite—but the anxiety beneath it was impossible to hide.

"Lady Rory, apologies for calling you so suddenly. I wanted to ask—has our lord’s mental state recovered?"

Rory frowned slightly. Why was he suddenly asking about that?

She answered truthfully, "Not yet."

"Not yet?" Ethan’s voice rose instantly, his worry sharpening. "That’s a problem!"

Rory’s expression turned serious. "What happened?"

Hearing the urgency in Ethang’s voice, Rory’s heart tightened.

Had something happened in the water territories again?

Ethan didn’t waste another second. He immediately explained everything—how Paros had contacted him and demanded a large group of elite warriors—laying it all out in detail.

"Lady Rory, our lord’s mind is still unstable. I’m afraid that if he gathers this many fighters, he might cause trouble in the Central District."

His voice grew more anxious.

"Please—keep an eye on him. Don’t let him act rashly. I’ll head to the Central District with reinforcements right away."

Rory froze for a moment after hearing this. Paros... wanted a large force of elite warriors?

What for? Was he really planning something?

No. She needed to get answers—immediately.

"Elder Ethan, I understand," she said firmly. "Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on him."

There was no way she would allow Paros to stir up trouble here.

She ended the call and rose at once, ready to go find him—

"Rory, wait." Yuel stepped forward and gently caught her wrist. He had heard everything Ethan said.

"I know what this is about," he added calmly. "Let me explain."

"You know?" Rory looked at him in surprise. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Yuel nodded. He guided her into the kitchen, then cast a layer of mental energy around them, sealing the space for privacy.

From his spatial ring, he took out several eleventh-rank beast cores and worm cores, placing them on the table.

Before Rory could even ask where they came from, he began explaining—everything.

From how he’d been "helping" Paros through their anonymous chats... To how he’d nudged him into supporting Vincent’s squad recruitment.

When he finished, he added, almost defensively, "Rory, he started it. I didn’t trick him—I just took the opportunity to get him to help Vincent with his current problem. By the Empress Matriarch, I swear—I didn’t do this for myself."

Rory stared at him, then at the light-brain in his hand—the message history still visible.

Her lips twitched.

Then she looked back at him. "Are you sure... in his current state, Paros even realizes he’s been talking to you?"

From what she could see, Paros clearly had no idea who "Moonlit Heart" actually was.

"That’s not the point," Yuel said smoothly.

Of course he knew Paros hadn’t figured it out.

"Rory, what matters is that he can help Vincent."

Now she understood. Yuel was... leveraging Paros’s resources.

She handed the light-brain back to him, her expression turning serious.

"I’ve heard that beasts from the Four Great Domains don’t like following Imperial military rules. If Paros really brings them here... will they willingly stay in Vincent’s squad?"

"That," Yuel said with a faint smile, "depends on Vincent."

He took her hand in his. "Rory, don’t worry about that. The important question is whether they’ll come. As for making them stay willingly..."

His smile deepened. "With Vincent? That won’t be difficult."

Vincent was the Second Prince of the Empire.

Outwardly upright and noble... But raised from childhood to understand—and manipulate—the hearts of others.

Rory nodded slowly. She understood now.

Taking the cores, she pressed them back into Yuel’s hands.

"Find a way to return these to Paros."

"And as for the messaging... I don’t think he knows it’s you."

She paused.

"Let’s end it here."

Yuel inclined his head. "Understood."

With the situation clarified, Rory sent Ethan a message explaining everything.

As for Yuel "guiding" Paros into helping Vincent recruit, she would need to think carefully about how Vincent should repay Paros.

Soon after, Ethan replied.

Ethan Gabriel:

So it’s for Prince Vincent’s squad. Lady Rory, rest assured—I’ll handle this properly.

He closed his communicator, excitement spreading across his face.

Their lord... had finally figured it out.

He was actually learning how to win people over.