“I know how to worry too!”

Leah shouted.

“I don’t want to ignore things like this either, and I don’t want to hear powerless people screaming! People being treated as less than human, seeing such things happen right in front of me, it all makes me sick!”

Helix looked at her with surprised eyes.

“But you’ll risk your life!”

Her voice cracked at the end of her shout. Her throat stung from inhaling the smoke. But she couldn’t stop speaking.

“You’ll just jump right in without caring about your safety, claiming it’s your guardian duty!”

Leah hit his chest.

“I worry too! Not just you, I worry about you too!”

Under the hood, her red wig hair swayed like flames.

Whoosh!

The wind rose in a terrifying whirlwind. The fire tinged Leah’s blue eyes, red-painted lips, and white face hidden behind the mask with a crimson hue.

Helix stared at her, entranced.

“…I won’t risk my life.”

He had never said such words as a guardian.

“Because you, Leah, worry and…”

He placed his hand gently on her mask, almost caressing it.

“I won’t make you cry.”

“I’m not crying!”

What else could those tears be at the corners of her eyes when she snapped back?

It was always like this with her. Always dangerous. She would unexpectedly pound on his heart and break what he thought was certain.

Helix furrowed his brow at his painfully beating heart. But more than his racing heart, the Leah before him hurt even more.

‘Why are you crying because of me?’

Overwhelmed by impulse, Helix stole her tears with his lips. They felt like poison. His lips turned numb where they touched her tears, seemingly unwilling to part.

He finally pulled his lips away.

“I won’t die by your side.”

“…”

“I won’t leave either. So together…”

Helix’s hand touched hers.

“Let me help save them with you.”

Leah gently took his hand in permission and intertwined their pinky fingers.

“It’s a promise.”

“I promise.”

The guardian’s hand firmly gripped his contractor’s. Helix felt somehow desperate. This hand and warmth felt vital, comparable to grabbing a lifeline in a bottomless cave.

Pop.

As mana flowed into Leah’s body carrying those feelings, the wind she summoned guided the fire to engulf the club’s main building.

“Ahhh! Help!”

“Fire!”

While the secret club descended into chaos, the hidden knights moved.

“There are people tied up in the warehouse!”

“What?”

At the urgent report, Ruyan went to check. Leah followed to the warehouse with Helix. Her eyes widened when she saw who was tied up.

“…You are?”

***

A few days after the near-catastrophic fire in a corner of the capital.

“There will be a trial!”

Rumors spread that a special trial would be held regarding Baron Durford’s disappearance.

The Baron’s father, Grand Duke Calosi, had pointed to Ruyan as the culprit behind his son’s disappearance.

“Ruyan Piert must have harmed my son!”

The Grand Duke insisted. Ruyan was the likely culprit, and the Piert Ducal Family must be imprisoned before they could smuggle him out of the country.

“Baron Durford is a member of the royal family! For a high noble’s child to harm royal blood, this is unacceptable!”

“An example must be made! You must set things right with this opportunity!”

“The trial must be held as soon as possible!”

The pro-imperial noble faction following Grand Duke Calosi spoke with one voice.

“There isn’t sufficient evidence, is there?”

“While Baron Durford’s disappearance is regrettable, considering his usual conduct, we can’t be certain Ruyan Piert is the culprit.”

“That’s right. Perhaps loan sharks might be involved… ahem, I misspoke.”

The neutral noble faction defended Ruyan Piert half-heartedly. The pro-imperial nobles shot back.

“How can you be so casual when even Lady Seigan has disappeared?”

“To harm a royal member and a duke’s daughter over petty quarrels and jealousy, the Piert Ducal Family’s atrocities have gone too far! The truth must be revealed and punishment given!”

Finally, a trial was decided.

It would be a trial summoning the Piert siblings, Leah and Ruyan, regarding the disappearance and suspected murder of Baron Durford and Lady Seigan. The king had accepted Grand Duke Calosi’s persistent request.

At least out of consideration for the Piert Ducal Family, the request to detain Ruyan was not accepted.

Naturally, the people of the Piert Ducal Family, including Leah, became tense. The Duke muttered.

“To think it would come to a trial over this.”

The Duchess said.

“The king seems unable to resist Grand Duke Calosi’s pressure.”

Rikeil added.

“Well, all the pro-imperial nobles have gathered on Grand Duke Calosi’s side.”

The Trow family wanted to damage and tear apart their business competitor, the Piert Ducal Family. Grand Duke Calosi likely planned to use the stage set by the Trow family to take down the neutral Piert Ducal Family.

The royal family would want to protect the neutral Piert Ducal Family, but they had no justification.

‘We’re surrounded. Since we’re not exactly royalists, they won’t actively protect us either.’

In other words, the Piert Ducal Family had to get through this dirty trap with their own power.

‘How?’

As Leah pondered, her eyes met Duke Piert’s. The Duke, who had worn a complicated expression, smiled when he saw his daughter’s face. It was a weak smile.

“This father is ashamed.”

“Dear, what are you saying? Why you?”

“No. We were too complacent, just trusting how capable and excellent our children are.”

His eyes swept over his three children.

“They still need our protection, but we should have dealt with this more actively when the rumors first started.”

The siblings felt something well up inside them.

It was frustrating to face this crisis over something they hadn’t done. They had thought the Duke would scold them for bringing harm to the family. The Piert Ducal Family was prestigious enough to do that.

Yet the head of this great family blamed himself while still trusting his children even in this situation.

“Dad.”

Leah quickly called out to the Duke before tears could fall.

“None of this is your fault. Ah, there is one thing.”

She smiled brightly at Duke Piert.

“Because you’re such an amazing person, we grew up too well. That’s why the Trow family is jealous.”

“Leah…”

“So watch how we handle such underhanded tactics.”

Leah’s eyes turned sharp after she finished speaking.

Tap.

She had somehow gotten hold of a short staff and spun around in front of her family. She resembled a presenter starting a briefing.

“Now, please pay attention.”

Her family and Helix stared blankly, dumbfounded. Leah waved her staff around to get their attention.

“Since you all know my little brother and I are innocent, I’ll get straight to the point. Before we look for specific ways to deal with this trial, there are two main points we need to focus on.”

Leah’s sharp gaze fixed on the Duke and Rikeil.

“Dad. Big brother.”

“Y-yes.”

“Go… ahead.”

Though flustered, they both focused on her words.

‘Good. At least they’re willing to listen. That’s half the battle.’

Leah thought to herself as she asked.

“About the first issue, can we delay this trial until the sleep magic’s after-effects are completely gone? I don’t think it will take too long.”

The two looked at each other with serious expressions. Rikeil asked.

“How long do we need at maximum?”

“Helix said minimum two days, maximum five days.”

The Duke, stroking his beard, nodded.

“That should be possible. I’ll see to it.”

“Yes. Then I’ll consider the trial delay settled. Now for the second issue.”

Leah posed a question to her family.

“The parties calling for this trial are Grand Duke Calosi and Duke Seigan. Are they in league with the Trow family like Prince Archaik?”

Helix asked.

“The Trow family spread the rumors, right? And Prince Archaik used that to try to kidnap you.”

“That’s right. Those rotten bastards.”

“Then Leah, you mean… you’re wondering if Grand Duke Calosi and Duke Seigan are also working with Trow, using these rumors?”

“Yes. That’s exactly it.”

“I hope not, but…”

As Rikeil trailed off, the Duchess shook her head at him.

“There haven’t been any rumors in society about Grand Duke Calosi and Duke Seigan being cold to their children. Especially the Grand Duke, it was well known that he favored Baron Durford among his sons.”

She continued.

“This isn’t just any issue, it’s about their children’s lives. Would they plan something like this in advance? I don’t think so.”

The Duke shook his head.

“Your mother is right, but we should still consider the possibility they might be on the same side. I don’t know about Duke Seigan, but Grand Duke Calosi is an ambitious man. If he could damage our family, he might be willing to sacrifice even his illegitimate son.”

Rikeil added another opinion.

“Since he’s probably already dead, they might be trying to use this opportunity.”

Leah pondered for a moment at the words of the Duke, Duchess, and Rikeil.

“…I understand. Then based on what we’ve discussed so far, I’ll work on a specific plan.”

“Leah, will you be alright? How will you…”

“Dad.”

She spoke firmly.

“We have no choice but to win this trial.”

Leah added with a smile.

“It’s just a matter of how.”

***

Leah thought.

She wanted to win bigger and more decisively.

‘If we’re going to do this, we should do it properly. How can we get everything we want from this trial and crush the Trow family?’

Leah raised her fingers to count what needed to be done at the trial.

Prove the siblings’ innocence, stop the rumors, turn public opinion to our side, destroy the Trow family.

‘I think we can do it, I really think we can get all of it.’