The shock still rang in her ears.
Sera stood frozen, chains of hardened sand gripping her wrists, her wide eyes flickering between Zan, Aqua, and… Ilarious.
He wasn't smiling.
No teasing, no flourish, no fan in hand.
He just… stood there. Watching her.
"What's going on?!" she finally cried. "Why am I being detained?!"
Aqua stepped forward, calm and cold.
"A nobleman was found dead this morning. Poisoned. A rare toxin with no color, no scent."
Sera's breath caught in her throat.
Aqua continued:
"When you and your friends were captured, the crimes across the capital stopped. Not a single theft, no vanishing guards, no blood. But the moment you were granted freedom—"
He glanced at Ilarious.
"—a man dies. Murdered. And not just any method… poison. Your area of expertise."
Sera opened her mouth, panicked. "I—I didn't do anything! I swear—!"
But she stopped herself.
She wanted to scream: "I was with Peter!"
But if she did… they'd arrest him too.
She clenched her fists, trembling. "I went out for a walk… I never approached anyone!"
Zan muttered, "Lies."
She looked at Ilarious. She didn't even know why.
Maybe she hoped—he'd say something… anything.
But his eyes were distant. Cold.
That silence was worse than chains.
Her breath shook—but she didn't break.
Instead—she fought back.
With a flick of her mind, the chains shattered into sand.
Zan flew back, crashing into the wall. Aqua flinched, bracing himself.
But neither he nor Ilarious attacked her.
They just watched.
She ran.
Her footsteps echoed down the marble hallway, heartbeat pounding like war drums in her ears.
But just as she reached the exit—another mound of sand rose before her.
She blasted it away instinctively—but as the cloud scattered, she inhaled…
And within seconds, her vision blurred.
"No… not now…"
She collapsed to the floor.
⸻
She woke in a stone cell.
Her body ached. Her mind throbbed.
And in front of the bars—stood Ilarious.
"Sera…"
She shot up. "I didn't kill anyone!"
He stared at her, unmoving.
"You disobeyed me."
She froze.
"You… know?"
"Peter has nothing to do with this!" she shouted, voice cracking.
Silence.
Then finally, he spoke again:
"Your memories will be read. In front of the royal court. If you're innocent—you'll walk free. If not… expect your head to hang before the kingdom's eyes."
She went pale.
Tears stung her eyes, but she swallowed them.
"I… I'm innocent."
⸻
[Elsewhere – Valerian's Wing]
Peter slammed the door open, face red with rage.
"You arrested Sera?!"
Valerian sipped his drink with calm detachment.
"Yes. Your lovely little friend is accused of murder."
"That's impossible! Sera is innocent!!"
Valerian raised a brow. "Oh? And how would you know?"
Peter hesitated—then shouted: "Because I was with her! The whole time!"
A pause.
Valerian smiled.
"A dangerous confession… means you were with her against orders. That makes you an accomplice."
"I'm not an accomplice—I'm a witness!"
Valerian gave a soft, mocking laugh.
"A witness? You? A filthy little thief… If you open your mouth like that in court, your head will roll alongside hers."
Peter stiffened.
"Roll…? You mean…?"
Valerian leaned in slightly, his smile twisted with quiet cruelty.
"Did you really think your sweet friend would survive? All the evidence is against her."
⸻
[Night – Commander Loren's Office]
Nerius stood in the hallway, barefoot, pale, and trembling.
He stared at the polished wood of Commander Loren's door, the laughter of her knights echoing in his mind:
"So your sweet little friend's getting executed, huh?"
"What a shame. Maybe next time, don't trust traitors."
His fingers curled into fists.
The dark veins on his neck had crept further up his skin, visible now beneath his collar.
He raised a hand—and knocked.
The door creaked open.
Commander Loren stood by her desk, a scroll in hand. She looked up—and her gaze softened.
She didn't ask. She already knew why he was here.
He stepped inside, slowly… gently… his bare feet nearly silent against the floor.
"My lady…"
Her voice was calm. "What is it, Nerius?"
"Sera… isn't a killer. She's not that kind of person."
"The court will decide that," she said, carefully.
Nerius paused, then looked down.
"When we first started stealing… Sera almost turned us in. She couldn't go through with it. Not until she had no choice—she was starving. She… used to leave apology notes at every house we robbed."
Loren looked at him with quiet attention. She didn't interrupt.
There was something in his voice… too honest to dismiss.
A thief, yes. But a threat to the kingdom?
No. What she saw was a boy—fragile, scarred, and loyal to the bone.
He wasn't dangerous. Not yet.
And maybe… he never would be.
Still, she didn't speak.
He continued, voice shaking:
"Sera… Peter… Lucas… Markus… they're all I have. They're my family. If anything happens to them… I… it… would be
frightening…"
He didn't finish.
But the look in his eyes—something darker flickering beneath—said enough.
Loren wasn't sure what he meant by "It would be frightening"…
But after a short silence, she replied softly:
"The Emperor is fair. If she is innocent… nothing will happen to her."