“My lady, we… we have a terrible situation…!”

Laila, terror etched on her face, nearly collapsed. Melissa caught the falling maid, who had turned ghostly pale and burst into tears.

“What’s wrong, Laila?”

Melissa spoke gently while holding the trembling maid. As she patted her back soothingly, the maid wiped her tears with the back of her hand and spoke.

“Dr. Horrux has returned!”

The old butler, seemingly displeased with Laila’s behavior, asked rather curtly.

“Why is that a problem when someone who belonged here has returned?”

Laila, who had barely composed herself, began sniffling again as her lips quivered.

“But, I think he died right after returning… It wasn’t my fault! I just asked him what was wrong when I saw him stumbling alone in the hallway, and suddenly…”

Laila had encountered Horrux, who had disappeared at dawn with packed bags after Mrs. Hover’s request to bring tea to the second floor. According to Laila, she had merely spoken to him when he suddenly coughed up blood, collapsed, and his body contorted grotesquely.

The commoner maid from Gerion, mindful of Horrux’s baronial title, seemed terrified of being accused of murdering a noble.

“Will, will I be sent to Sorbet? Will I?”

“No. That absolutely won’t happen.”

Melissa left the panicked Laila with Nora and headed to the scene with the butler and guard knights. When they arrived, Laila’s words proved true.

Horrux lay motionless, face down in the corridor leading to the bedrooms. The knight checked the fallen man’s pulse and shook his head.

Three years ago, Melissa would have also clutched her startled heart like the maid and considered it horrific for days. It might have even become a trauma that would have left her immobile for a while. But the current Melissa was different.

She could accept everything calmly. She believed she must fulfill her role as Reizen’s proxy in his absence from the castle.

“Why did he come all the way here to die?”

At Melissa’s question, the old butler thoughtfully stroked his beard. Why would someone who had packed up and fled suddenly return only to die?

The butler said:

“Perhaps he wanted to deliver a message to you, my lady? He must have tried to escape but something went wrong on his way. Given there are no wounds, it’s likely poisoning – and a physician of his caliber wouldn’t carelessly eat poisonous mushrooms by the roadside.”

While the butler spoke slowly, Melissa carefully examined Horrux’s surroundings.

“Someone deliberately killed him.”

While examining around Horrux, Melissa noticed letters written in blood on the floor. Though the writing was messy, the intended meaning was clear.

‘Sel.’

Selheim had killed the Emperor’s man. Since Horrux was the Emperor’s man, he would have no reason to report Selheim unless there was a rift between the Emperor and Selheim.

‘It’s treason.’

It meant Selheim had begun to move.

‘Treason and rebellion.’

Confusion mixed in Melissa’s red eyes.

Selheim intended to seize the throne against his father’s wishes, while Reizen planned to overthrow the imperial family and establish a parliament-centered republic.

This would truly become a fight where only one of them could survive.

She recalled what Selheim had said in the past.

“Mel. What if Rael and I fell into water. Who would you save?”

Young Melissa answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“Selheim!”

She remembered how Selheim’s face had lit up then. The reason Melissa chose Selheim was because Rael was a better swimmer than him.

But since he didn’t ask for her reason, Melissa decided not to tell. It was enough that Selheim was happy.

And now…

This time Melissa asked herself.

‘If I had to choose between Selheim and Reizen, who would I choose?’

She imagined both of them lying face down dead like Horrux, taking turns picturing each scenario. Either choice left her heart feeling heavy.

The brand on her left arm tingled with a red glow. As the familiar pain struck, Melissa wrapped her arms around her shoulders and closed her eyes.

In the darkness behind her closed eyes, she was already running toward one person.

* * *

“Has the fellow who bothered Mel been taken care of?”

Selheim’s tone was distinctly casual and fresh, making the question sound as ordinary as “Did you sleep well last night?” or “Did you enjoy your lunch?”

Count Clark nodded.

“Yes, it was handled without any issues.”

“What about Reizen’s side?”

“We have information that revolutionary weapons will be brought in on the merchant ship arriving tomorrow night.”

“Make sure to catch them in the act.”

Selheim sat on the sofa with his legs crossed and commanded.

“When the weapons are discovered, execute them on the spot.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As Count Clark withdrew, the Chief of Police, who had been waiting his turn, stepped forward one step and reported.

“The protesters at Sanprine Square have been almost completely suppressed. Most were unarmed commoners, so suppression was straightforward. We are searching the revolutionary headquarters with strengthened security to prevent them from regrouping. Haha!”

Selheim nodded after receiving additional reports. As the aide called “Next,” the Chief of Police stepped back into line, and Duke Rockbell stepped forward.

The Rockbell family, nobles among nobles, was a powerful house that could dare to hold their heads high even in the presence of Duke Grey in the past. Thus, the Empress had long been diligently trying to arrange a match with him by inviting the Rockbell lady for tea and such.

But this family had one excessive flaw that mother hadn’t considered:

“I will no longer attend these meetings.”

They were cowards who traditionally maintained neutrality whenever conflicts arose in the imperial family.

Such blockheads.

“Are you all aware that His Majesty is hosting a meeting this afternoon?”

What fools, unable to keep up with the times. Were they getting motion sickness from how fast times were changing?

Selheim wore a white formal uniform that made him look extremely pure. Combined with his gentle smile toward the Duke, he appeared affectionate and kind.

“Rockbell?”

Selheim rose from his seat and slowly walked to stand before the Duke, who was old enough to be his father. Though his manner showed no hint of intimidation or force, everyone watched the Crown Prince’s actions with bated breath.

Seeing the Duke’s defiant expression, Selheim said:

“The afternoon meeting has been cancelled.”

The Duke, maintaining his unwavering stubbornness, countered.

“I received no such notification.”

“I just notified you, didn’t I?”

Selheim’s expression fluctuated between joy and anger. A range of emotions too diverse for a single face crossed his features in an instant.

“What Your Highness is doing is quite wrong.”

Selheim had ordered the nobles to gather their private armies in the capital for possible suppression of revolutionaries.

“I cannot agree. I understand that the number of imperial troops already exceeds the total number of noble private armies, especially after they were significantly reduced by order of the previous Emperor.”

The implication was that they should use the surplus imperial troops instead of disturbing the guard dogs protecting their own homes.

Selheim nodded with a cold smile.

That was correct. The imperial army wasn’t lacking. However.

“Who said we’re recruiting because we lack soldiers?”

What he wanted was the nobles’ loyalty.

“If the commoners rise up, the prestige of both the imperial family and nobility will plummet. The ‘mighty’ Sys Empire that the previous Emperor built with blood will disappear. Do you know what this means?”

Selheim’s finger landed on Duke Rockbell’s shoulder epaulette. He pressed down while looking around casually, smiling.

“It means you’ll all become losers like Gerion. It means those who don’t fight back are fools who can’t even reap the benefits of battles already won by our predecessors, Duke.”

“W-what nonsense!”

Duke Rockbell’s face turned red. But Selheim continued speaking with apparent indifference to his reaction.

“You probably think you’re here because you’re special. But that’s not true. You’re not here because you’re special, but because your ancestors were special, and that’s why you get to wear these nice clothes and gather here.”

As Selheim grabbed Rockbell’s collar and spoke, the Duke protested.

“Your Highness! This is an insult to the nobility!”

At those words, Selheim’s eyes curved in a smile.

“Not an insult, but fact. Even if your mouth is crooked, you should speak straight. It’s the same for me. I became Crown Prince because I was born the legitimate heir to the imperial family. But everyone? Come on, let’s think about it. Don’t get excited, okay?”

Selheim spoke while cheerfully shaking both of Duke Rockbell’s hands in his grip. At this playful action, Duke Rockbell wore a quite displeased expression and tried to pull his hands away. But he couldn’t due to Selheim’s strong grip.

“This, this!”

Just as the flustered Duke Rockbell stammered and shuffled in place.

“Shall I show you the end of those who refuse to fight? Watch carefully. I’ll only show you once.”