"Where has Jules gone?"
Lady Yusshargen, seated at the garden tea table, asked Mehmet as she poured herself a cup of tea. Mehmet, arranging sweets and fruit on a plate, answered without looking up.
"His Majesty summoned him."
"Oh? For what reason?"
A slight tension crossed the lady's expression. But Mehmet kept a calm face, focused on the setting.
"I would assume… it's about the queen candidate matter."
"So it really is about that."
She let out a deep sigh.
"I can't help but feel uneasy."
"Uneasy, milady?"
Only then did Mehmet pause, placing the last of the sweets and turning to face her. The lady handed her teacup to a maid and touched her forehead.
"I didn't particularly like Mithys either… but given how things are turning out, I'm starting to think she might've been the better choice."
"Why do you say that, milady?"
"I can't explain it. It's just a feeling."
"Why aren't you answering, Julius?"
Julius sat with a slight furrow in his brow as he listened to King Minophon.
"I understand the need to hasten the coronation. However…"
The ruby on the king's forehead flickered dimly—its once blazing red light now fading fast.
"We must be cautious about making that girl queen."
The king let out a long sigh.
"And why is that?"
"A human becoming the queen of Sibareth is unthinkable. This isn't Naizman."
"Is this because of Shamanaz?"
"Absolutely not! That's—"
Julius flushed with anger. He hadn't expected to be confronted so bluntly about his relationship with Shamanaz.
"There's no need to deny it. No one in this palace is unaware of what lies between you and her…"
Julius turned his head away sharply.
"Regardless, let's wait and see. That's all I can say for now."
The king fell into another coughing fit. After spitting up blood, he was helped to lie down by his attendants. With a weak wave of the hand, he dismissed Julius. Julius exited with a tangled mind.
As he made his way to the hunting grounds, Julius saw his friend Rodolphe approaching with a wave.
"Hey Jules, heading out to hunt?"
"That was the plan."
"Baron Lamion brought in a bunch of new beasfolk and slaves. Wanna come check if any of them are worth picking up?"
"I don't need any."
"Come on, I do. Let's go have a look."
Rodolphe nudged him along. Though not particularly interested, Julius didn't want to reject his friend's request, so he followed him to the estate.
The Baron's manor was crowded with nobles from Sibareth, drawn by rumors. The latest stock included catfolk, crowfolk, and even rare mermaids. Among the humans, there were more women than men. The entire place was a cacophony of beastkin cries, shouting, and haggling.
Rodolphe approached a black-haired girl in rags, trembling in fear. He tilted her chin up.
"How old are you?"
"N-nineteen…"
"Where are you from?"
"Benat, in Naizman…"
"Benat? I hear a lot of Sibarethns are migrating there lately."
At those words, the girl's dark eyes blazed with fury. In a flash, she lunged like a wildcat and bit the hand holding her jaw.
"Argh!"
"You little wretch! How dare you?!"
Guards rushed in, their spears aimed at her throat. Despite the danger, the girl's voice was strong, her glare filled with rage.
"Murderers! Sibareth will face divine judgment!"
Rodolphe took a step back, checking his bleeding hand with a grimace.
"I thought I'd assign her as a maid to that concubine from Naizman. Seems I was wrong."
"You mean Lea?"
"Yeah. She's been pestering me about marriage lately. A real pain."
Rodolphe sighed
. The guards added pressure to their spears, ready to strike, and turned toward Rodolphe for the order.
Rodolphe shook his head. The guards tensed further, about to drive their spears forward. Just as Rodolphe was about to nod, Julius lifted his hand and said curtly,
"Wait."
"What's the matter?" Rodolphe looked at Julius in disbelief.
Julius had never been known for showing mercy—especially not to beasfolk or human slaves. Rodolphe gave a strange smile.
"Huh. Your taste must be changing."
Even Julius was surprised by his own reaction. Why did I just do that? Why should I care if some filthy girl dies here?
Julius looked at the girl's face, which was full of dirt, and asked.
"What is your name?"
But the girl remained tight-lipped and turned her head away. Her dark hair and wild eyes suddenly reminded Julius of someone. The tip of the guard's spear pressed against the girl's throat. Blood trickled down the girl's neck.
"His Grace asked you a question. Answer him!"
One of the guards barked. The girl bit her lip, then spoke quietly.
"…Anna."
"Anna. Will you come with me?"
Rodolphe whistled in amusement.
"Careful, Jules. Shamanaz doesn't take kindly to rivals."
"What are you talking about?"
"If you take a mistress, she won't sit quietly."
"I wouldn't call her that…"
"No? Well, it's not Shamanaz you have to worry about now. Looks like it'll be a brawl between human girls. Hah!"
Julius gave him a sideways glance. Clearly, word about Mia had spread everywhere. Rodolphe read his expression and shrugged.
"Of course, who knows how things'll turn out. Maybe that mysterious otherworlder will pass the rite and actually become queen."
"Rite? What rite?"
"You don't know?"
Rodolphe explained the recent meeting of the twelve bloodlines, and how Grand Vizier Jakiel had proposed a test that Mia must pass in order to be accepted as queen.
Julius's pale green eyes narrowed. Why didn't the king mention this?
"So then… this means Shamanaz's chances of becoming queen just increased."
He murmured.
Grand Vizier Jakiel was her godfather, after all. A reclusive archmage with no wife or children, Jakiel treated Shamanaz like his own daughter. If that were true...
"Rodolphe."
"Yeah?"
"Is having a mistress really that much trouble?"
Rodolphe looked at him in genuine surprise, glancing between Julius and Anna.
"What the hell, Jules? You really into this girl?"
"Not exactly…"
Just then, sunlight glinted off Julius's golden hair. He brushed the strands from his forehead with a sigh.
"She's probably going to need a handmaid, even as a mistress."
In Sibareth's training ground, filled with knights and soldiers mid-drill—
High Commander Leca was drinking water like a man dying of thirst. It was break time, but despite the sunset creeping in, the hours of nonstop training made it feel like midday.
He drained the last drop from his canteen and wiped his mouth. Just then, someone suddenly held out a fresh water bottle. Instinctively, Leca reached out—but the moment he saw who it was, he dropped to one knee.
"Your Grace. What brings you here?"
"I came to see you, High Commander."
Julius smiled casually. Leca lowered his head again.
Julius looked around at the soldiers training nearby. Then his gaze drifted to the runes etched on Leca's bare chest. He read them aloud, slowly.
"Kenaz… 'The strength and light of wisdom bring forth rebirth. Flame both destroys and creates.'"
Leca swallowed. He had a bad feeling. This visit wasn't unlike Shamanaz's sudden appearance the day before.
"You've stirred quite the storm."
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"You didn't see this coming?"
"…I was only following orders."
"Hah."
Julius let out a hollow laugh.
"So the Grand Master, the great High Commander, is acting like some lesser spirit now."
"Lesser or greater, a spirit is still a spirit. Our existence is to obey commands."
Julius's smile turned mocking.
"What a convenient philosophy. So—you've made a new pact with the human girl?"
"I have."
"Where is Mithys?"
The question came without warning. Leca's brows tightened as he looked up.
"…Presumed dead. Why do you ask?"
"So, you're not certain."
Leca turned away.
"You know how the faries are. Death leaves no trace. You know this better than anyone."
Julius shrugged.
"Fair enough. But if—by some miracle—Mithys is alive, and she returns to the kingdom…"
The rune on Leca's chest pulsed faintly.
"…will you take full responsibility for the chaos that follows?"
Leca paused, thoughtful. Then he slowly replied.
"Lady Mia is the strongest woman I have ever met. Even if she were to become an empress, not just a queen, it would be fitting."
"…What?"
"I may lack a gemstone's power, but I have the strength of a spirit. All you need to do, Your Grace, is watch. See if my judgment was wrong."
The peridot in Julius's forehead flared sharply. At the same time, the glowing rune of "Kenaz" blazed crimson on Leca's chest.