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The city of Brenu in the Ushif Empire’s southern region.

As the closest city to Luwen, where the Royal Academy is located, it served as a transit point for travelers heading to Luwen.

A woman walked down the street wearing a black cloak.

Those who passed by her all seemed to glance back as if they had made some kind of appointment.

Her beauty, even concealed by the cloak, stirred people’s hearts and naturally sparked curiosity about her.

Some even recalled the daughter of a certain family known in society as the child of a god.

“….”

Silently walking, the woman’s eyes subtly shifted backward.

She was aware of the suspicious gaze following her.

Soon, as she turned the corner into an alley, a man who seemed to have been waiting followed closely behind.

Though no immediate threat or malice was felt, she remained cautious and asked,

“Do you have business with me?”

“I would like to apologize for following you without saying anything.”

The man said, bowing politely, acknowledging his unauthorized pursuit.

Then, he took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to her.

The woman showed a slightly surprised reaction as she received the letter.

“…!”

After checking the contents, she looked back at the man with astonished eyes and asked.

“Chancellor Kündel is here?”

* * *

Upon entering the room, Alice couldn’t help but be taken aback.

“What’s with the surprise? You must have already heard everything on the front lines, haven’t you?”

“Well, I didn’t think the chancellor would personally come…”

Understandably so.

Chancellor Kündel was famous as a resident ghost of the academy, never taking vacations and rarely leaving the premises even during breaks.

“I heard that you quit the knightly order.”

It was a somewhat sensitive topic, but Alice asked without hesitation.

“Did the chancellor know that something like this would happen to me?”

“I didn’t know from the beginning.”

Kündel took out some documents and handed them to her.

As Alice calmly reviewed the contents, she occasionally furrowed her brow at the unbelievable information, but she read through it stoically without much surprise.

“That’s from your younger brother.”

That was until she heard the last part.

“When… did this happen?”

“About two months ago.”

For a moment, Alice felt dazed and couldn’t speak.

Some members of the Knights of Light are connected to the imperial family,

They are plotting some kind of plan by provoking the demonic beasts in the frontline area.

The contents of the document described events that had unfolded before her eyes not long ago, during the recent visit of the royal family to the front lines.

Was this some kind of prophecy predicting future events?

One thing was for sure, a mere sixteen-year-old attending the academy wouldn’t have access to such information.

At the end of the document was the true identity of Cecilia’s Lien, her former knight.

A royal guard directly under the royal family.

Distinct from the guards within the palace, they were a separate unit, a secret organization.

Mostly composed of knights who infiltrated influential imperial families to conduct covert operations and missions, she was originally from the royal family, not the Vert noble family.

Feeling disheartened by the truth she had just learned, Alice let out a small sigh.

“Your eyes are back to how they were three years ago,” Kündel remarked, looking at Alice.

“What do you mean?”

“That’s literally it. To put it in a good way, I would say that it is eyes that are about to start a new beginning, but in a bad way, I would say that it is eyes that are wandering, not knowing what to do.”

Pierced to the core, Alice fell silent again.

Kündel didn’t say anything more, patiently waiting for her to speak.

“Chancellor, you once asked me if I knew everything about my brother…”

“I did.”

“It’s strange because my father said something similar. He said my brother might be even more remarkable than I thought.”

Kündel didn’t offer any response.

“Then let me ask you. How well do you know Cyan?”

“I wager my decades-long academic life on this: if there’s something I don’t know more than you, it’s because it’s something not widely known.”

Alice’s eyes held a faint suspicion.

“Did you know Cyan took a short leave of absence?”

“…!”

There was a faint suspicion in Alice’s eyes.

“Did you know Cyan took a short leave of absence from school?”

“…!”

“When asked for the reason, he simply said it was just for your sake.”

It seemed like a piece of the suspicious puzzle was finally falling into place, as Alice smiled modestly.

“So that’s what it was.”

Kündel regarded Alice with a knowing gaze.

She had always been a confident and assertive pupil, so it was unsettling to see her in this state.

“I feel conflicted. It’s like realizing that everything I’ve been pursuing was wrong.”

“Don’t worry about it. I felt the same way.”

“…What do you mean?”

“He asked me when we first met. Whether I desired the prosperity of the empire or the honor of the family.”

Kündel’s eyes sank slightly with a hint of bitterness.

“After Diana passed away, I gave up everything related to the family and focused solely on the academy. Perhaps being constantly confronted with harmony in that vast framework made me lax in body and mind.”

For the first time, the usually serious and composed chancellor revealed his inner thoughts.

“I always wanted to tell Louis when he became emperor, to embrace all his other siblings instead of resenting them. That’s the true virtue of a ruler.”

As the Emperor’s father-in-law and the prince’s grandfather, it was something he could naturally say.

And his sentiment remained unchanged to this day.

“So, I’m going to the imperial capital.”

“What?!”

“Even though I’ve retired from my position, I can’t just stand by while my family is falling apart. I’ll go and set everything right. Of course, I’ll also meet His Majesty.”

There was resolve and a hint of fierceness in Kündel’s eyes.

“So, not as the academy’s chancellor, but as an old man who wishes you well, Alice, I’m asking you. Forget everything that has happened so far and leave the empire for a while. And don’t tell anyone, not even your father or your siblings.”

Alice couldn’t bring herself to agree immediately.

“Since you’ve quit the Knights, you’ve probably made up your mind somewhat. There’s no need to sacrifice yourself for your family anymore. It’s been a roundabout journey, but now is the time to start anew. It’s time for you to find your own path, Alice.”

Not as the revered Child of the Gods by society, but simply as a woman named Alice Vert, living for herself.

Living not for the world, but for oneself, becoming an exceptionally ordinary person.

That’s all Kündel wanted for Alice.

“That’s right…”

After a brief silence, she spoke up.

“Because only then can I be confident in myself.”

A life not for others, but for oneself.

This life began with Cyan, and now it was up to her to continue it.

With resolve in her heart, Alice rose from her seat.

“Are you planning to meet him?”

“I was thinking about it, but upon further reflection, I think it’s better not to.”

Approaching the door, Alice turned back to Kündel with a faint smile.

“Please send my regards to Cyan.”

* * *

The woman in the cloak emerged from the corner and passed by, catching Brian’s attention.

“…!”

Sensing a familiar presence, Brian abruptly turned his head.

“What are you doing, Brian?”

Emily asked, noticing his reaction.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I thought I saw someone who looked like Alice…”

“Does that make sense? Why would a Knight of Light, who should be extremely busy, be here? And besides, someone as beautiful as Alice? It doesn’t make sense that such a person even exists!”

Brian scratched his head, feeling awkward.

“Let’s go quickly! The little girl will wake up soon!”

“Yep!”

He glanced back once more, but she had already disappeared.

Emily’s complaints filled the air as they had been staying in the city of Brenu near Luwen for about a week.

“If you have work to do, you can go alone. Why bring us to a place like this?”

Brian himself found it strange.

While Cyan occasionally left his post, it was rare for him to relocate his people elsewhere.

As always, no reasons were given.

However, recent behaviors from Cyan, seemingly cautious towards someone, suggested that something was amiss, leading Brian to speculate that they were moved here to deal with something significant.

As he often heard from Cyan, “If you can’t be of help, then don’t interfere.”

Brian believed that simply staying quiet and out of the way would be the most helpful to Cyan.

They arrived at their temporary residence.

It appeared to be an ordinary house suitable for three people to live in, but there was an invisible barrier installed, allowing only authorized personnel to enter and exit.

It was a security measure set up in case of emergencies before Cyan’s departure.

Their outings were limited to buying groceries.

Sightseeing or walks in the city were mostly avoided.

It was early evening, and Nana, who would usually be awake by now, was surprisingly quiet.

“We’re back, kiddo.”

“….”

Emily, who entered first, raised an eyebrow.

“What’s wrong? Still asleep?”

Nana’s unusual quietness made Brian’s spine tingle.

Not only was Nana not in the living room, but Brian and Emily also felt a strange emptiness, as if something that should be there was missing.

“….!”

Soon, Brian felt sweat pouring down his back.

Not because of the absence of Nana, but because he and Emily were the only ones they could sense in the house.

The feeling of emptiness seemed to intensify.

“Um? Nana’s not even in her room? And why is the window open?”

Brian dashed to Nana’s room like a raging bull.

Neatly folded blankets, unseen shoes, and an open window greeted him.

“It seems like she’s gone? No, she left without a word, alone?”

Brian thought to himself,

‘This is bad…’