Outside the royal palace of the Ashford Empire, the front plaza was bright with mana-lamps and noisy with engines and voices.

Security was tighter than ever. Lines of armored guards flanked the main gate, and magic barriers shimmered faintly in the air. Every car had to stop at the outer checkpoint—no exceptions.

Luxury limousines, enchanted carriages and custom sports cars rolled forward one by one, lights reflecting off polished metal and crystal crests. Guards checked invitations, scanned artifacts, and swept mirrors under each vehicle before waving it through the opened barrier.

Nobles stepped out onto the carpet in gowns and tailored suits, but their pride was muted by caution. No one dared complain when even foreign dignitaries were made to wait.

Then the palace doors opened.

The queen, Eliana Cael Ashford, stepped out with unhurried grace. Though in her early forties, she still held a striking, mature beauty. Her magenta hair, like Evangeline’s, was styled back and pinned with silver ornaments, and her violet eyes scanned the plaza with calm authority.

A quiet but heavy pressure rolled off her, more like a sheathed blade than a wild aura—enough to remind everyone that this queen had stood on battlefields before she sat on a throne.

She wore a deep purple gown that hugged her figure at the waist before flowing down to the floor. Silver embroidery traced the bodice and hem in the shape of wings and vines, catching the light when she moved.

A slim platinum crown rested on her head, and a short mantle draped from her shoulders, the inside lined with a darker shade of violet. The whole outfit screamed royalty without needing excessive jewelry.

Normally, several of the palace’s strongest warriors would surround her as escorts.

Tonight, only one woman walked at her side.

Pink hair tied into a high ponytail, sharp gray eyes that were never still—it was Yuna Akatsuki. Her fitted black dress ended just past her knees, a slit running along one side to show the line of her leg and the top of her heeled boots.

The neckline dipped into a modest V, exposing a hint of cleavage, with red embroidery tracing the edge. A cropped black jacket hung open over her shoulders, more for style than protection.

Her gaze moved constantly, checking the rooftops, balconies, and every cluster of nobles.

Seeing that, Eliana smiled slightly.

"Don’t worry, Yuna. No one’s going to attack us. The palace is heavily guarded today, and no one is foolish enough to pick a fight with us."

They started walking down the carpeted path toward the banquet wing.

The guests near the entrance stiffened in surprise at the sight of the queen outside. Bows and curtsies followed them, hushed whispers chasing in their wake.

Yuna let out a small chuckle.

"Well, you never know," she said, tilting her head up to glance at the night sky.

"Still no news, huh?" Eliana asked quietly.

"Nothing so far," Yuna replied. "It’s been three days."

Eliana glanced sideways at her.

"You still have confidence that he’s alive. Honestly, I was surprised when I heard you’d taken in a disciple."

Yuna laughed openly at that.

"Aunt, who do you think trained him? I can say this with confidence— even if that guy is thrown into hell, he’ll crawl his way back out."

"Didn’t you say he failed the first mission you gave him?" Eliana asked, amused.

Yuna’s mouth twitched.

"I didn’t say he was perfect. He is a disappointment, actually," she admitted. "He took his first mission and still let his enemies escape before I arrived to clean things up.

Yuichi gave him the mission to save his wife, but I had to the one to rescue her and I also had to stop that auction from turning into a massacre."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she continued.

"In the end, Yuichi’s wife refused to see yuichi. She hates him now. Because It was his own daughter who tried to kill her, and she’s already petitioned for a divorce.

My own disciple dumped that whole mess on me. I’m really disappointed in him. When he comes back, I’m beating his ass black and blue."

Eliana burst into laughter.

"He reminds me exactly of you, the way you’re talking," she said. "Your master used to complain about you in the same way."

"I’m nothing like him," Yuna grumbled.

But a small, soft smile slipped onto her face for a heartbeat before she forced it away. Eliana noticed, but didn’t tease her further.

"I’m glad you found someone to call family," the queen said gently.

Yuna turned her head away, pretending to focus on the glowing entrance of the banquet hall, and didn’t reply. The two of them continued walking side by side as nobles watched the queen and her lone escort pass, realizing that tonight’s banquet was going to be far from ordinary.

As soon as Eliana and Yuna reached their destination, they stepped onto the Skyport—a high-altitude landing platform reserved only for guests of the highest importance.

Both women lifted their heads to the sky.

"Here she comes," Eliana said with a small smile.

A massive battleship slowly emerged from the clouds above them, its outline becoming clearer as it descended. Normally, no one was allowed to bring warships or any other destructive weapons near the imperial capital, no matter how important they were. The only exception was the Imperius family.

On the underside of the ship, a huge crest of a coiled dragon glowed faintly, visible to everyone watching from the palace below. Nobles all over the grounds took a deep gulp as the ship approached, understanding exactly whose arrival they were witnessing. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The battleship hovered above the Skyport, engines humming, then began to lower itself with steady precision. When it locked into place, a ramp extended from its side and the entrance doors slid open with a hiss.

Two figures appeared at the top of the ramp.

The first was a woman with hair like molten fire, long and flowing, and sharp red eyes that swept over the platform. Her gown was the color of burning embers, fitting close at the waist and flaring slightly at the bottom, with golden patterns that looked like rising flames. A thin golden chain circled her bare shoulders, and a pair of earrings shaped like tiny dragon wings glinted when she moved.

It was Sylvia Evan Imperius.

Beside her walked another woman, much more casually dressed—yet just as eye-catching. She had straight black hair, black eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses, and an air of complete confidence. She wore fitted black pants, a simple white shirt tucked neatly into them, and a short jacket thrown over her shoulders. Even in casual clothes, she looked like she had just stepped out of a magazine shoot.

This was Jessica Evan Imperius.

Standing together, the two of them had a presence that made them look almost like goddesses stepping down from the sky.

Jessica’s eyes suddenly narrowed behind her glasses as she spotted Yuna. In the next instant, she blurred forward, crossing the distance in a few strides.

"I’ve been trying to contact you for the last few days, you bitch," she said loudly. "Where is my brother?"

Yuna blinked, caught off guard for a heartbeat."What are you taking about."

Then she smiled lazily.

"I only give priority to people who deserve it," she replied. "You’re not on that list."

Jessica’s aura exploded like a tidal wave.

The air trembled, the Skyport floor vibrated, and several attendants staggered back, faces paling under the pressure.

"Do you think I’m joking?" Jessica growled.

Yuna didn’t even flinch. She just stood there, arms relaxed at her sides, as if the pressure meant nothing to her.

Her lips curled up.

"Do you want to fight—"

"Stand down, both of you. Right now."

The calm, absolute voice cut through the tension like a blade.

Sylvia stepped forward, her red eyes cold for a moment. Instantly, both Yuna and Jessica pulled their auras back and looked away from each other with matching clicks of their tongues.

"Right now is not the time, Jessica," Sylvia said, giving her a pointed look.

Then she turned to Yuna.

"And I want to talk to you in private later, Yuna. It’s been a long time."

Yuna simply nodded.

Eliana, who had been watching with obvious amusement, stepped up and pulled Sylvia into a hug.

"You’re as bossy as ever," she said, laughing.

Sylvia smiled.

"The only time I can relax is when I’m with you," she replied. "So I really didn’t want to miss this opportunity."

"Why do you think I held this banquet?" Eliana snorted. "It’s just an excuse to run away from my duties for one day."

The two of them burst into laughter, the tension on the Skyport easing.

Nearby, Jessica leaned closer to Yuna and muttered under her breath.

"How dare you take my brother as your disciple without even informing me."

Yuna scoffed.

"Your brother? I don’t know who you’re talking about. My disciple’s name is Arthur—"

She stopped mid-sentence as realization slowly dawned on her face.

She turned sharply to Jessica.

"You mean Arthur?"

Jessica expression turned serious.

"His full name is Arthur Evan Imperius. And he is not someone you can just take under your wing whenever you feel like it."

Yuna’s eyes widened for a second.

She bit her lower lip and muttered quietly, almost to herself.

"Great. Now instead of just beating him, I’ll have to break that lying mouth of his... and those legs of his so he can’t run away again."

—

At the same time, in one of the palace guest rooms, Arthur was standing in front of a mirror, adjusting the collar of his new outfit.

"Now I’m ready," he said, satisfied with his reflection.

A sudden chill ran down his spine.

He frowned.

"What the hell was that? Did someone just put a really bad curse on me or something?"

Before he could think about it any further, a knock sounded on the door.

"Arthur, are you ready?" Evangeline’s voice came from outside.

He glanced once more at the mirror, that strange uneasy feeling still lingering in his chest.