Imperial Palace, Philly's personal office.

"Sigh. Aten too. You can't just blindly help someone and expect to snatch a man away."

Well, maybe she doesn't even have that intention. Philly muttered regretfully as she looked at her phone.

"Anyway, you heard the story, right?"

Then she spoke to the man who had been standing quietly in front of her during the call.

The man let out a small sigh that went unnoticed and said,

"You spoke in a way that I would hear it."

Black hair, a trained body. A sharp face reminiscent of a sharpened sword.

Azier de Roach was there.

"Eavesdropping on the Empress's conversation, that's a serious crime, Azier."

"...I was about to leave, but..."

It was Philly herself who stopped him.

Philly smiled brightly as if she was enjoying it.

"So how do you feel? It seems like your younger brother is still surrounded by bad rumors at Constel."

She’d just had to ask that question.

Azier lowered his eyes.

"Students like rumors. Even without any sincerity, they always look for, inflate, and distort gossip to have conversations and heighten the atmosphere. It's just that. Frondier won't mind either. Things that aren't true can't shake my brother."

At Azier's words, the amusement in Philly's eyes faded. Well, she had expected him to say something like that. That's why he’s Azier. It's not easy to shake this man's emotions.

"──However."

But then Azier said.

"If there are those who can't just enjoy rumors as rumors and truly believe them. Those who underestimate what Frondier has done and indulge in self-satisfaction, deceived by unreliable information that's just floating around."

The sunlight streamed through the tilted clouds through the window of the Imperial Palace. The transmitted sunlight lingered on Azier's hair, eyes, chin, and shoulders.

"I will be ashamed to have graduated from Constel."

Philly blinked and looked at Azier. Soon, a smile lingered around her eyes.

"You're strict."

"Positions and qualifications are made by people. Constel should also be like that."

"Mr. Azier, you really like words like qualifications and responsibilities."

Azier didn't answer that.

Qualifications and responsibilities. Of course, he doesn't have any preference for such words. He just thinks that's how it should be.

"Will Your Majesty be alright?"

"About what?"

"..."

Azier tried to say something but stopped himself. Saying anything more would cross the line.

But Philly is so perceptive that even if he hides his words, the conversation flows.

"About my husband? Why I'm not telling my daughter?"

"..."

Philly's husband. Bartello Terst.

The current Emperor of the Empire.

To put it simply, he is not well at the moment. He is not sick, but it will probably be difficult for his body to recover.

The reason is not that big of a deal. He's just exhausted, aging.

"It's alright. I'll tell her when the time is right, but it's not today."

"..."

"Aten only knows the Emperor's face, she doesn't remember her father's face."

Aten has barely seen Bartello's face. He showed his face briefly when she was very young, but after Aten grew up, Bartello never came to see her.

Only occasional instructions were given. It was literally like an order from the Emperor to his subject.

In the past, Frondier and Enfer were also quite awkward, but Aten and Bartello were beyond awkward, to the point where one would doubt their father-daughter relationship.

"Well, even if Aten wants to see him, my husband wouldn't show his face now."

If Aten saw Bartello now, even that calm child would be surprised and open her mouth.

That's how much Bartello has aged and withered. That's why Bartello hid his appearance even more. Now, even Philly can't easily meet him.

"Well, let's talk about this later. We're going to be busy from now on!"

Clap, Philly clapped her hands as if to change the atmosphere. Azier understood the meaning and nodded.

"Even Aten contacted me about this case. Do you know what this means?"

"Of course."

The reason Azier came to the Imperial Palace this time is different from the last time.

Back then, Azier came to fulfill his duty to the Imperial Palace, but now, Azier has come to the Imperial Palace as a 'Pro'.

It was a coincidence that Azier overheard Aten and Philly's conversation, but originally, the place where he was supposed to work this time was not the Imperial Palace.

"We've already received calls from various places. The details are different, but the overall picture is the same. It's the 'Mana Injection Incident'."

Tap.

Philly lightly snapped her fingers. Azier bowed deeply at that.

The Imperial Knights immediately gathered and lined up. Looking over them all, Philly said,

"This enemy is larger than we expected. It's probably bigger than the previous 'Indus', maybe even close to Manggot. I hope it's just a group of mad scientists who haven't come out into the world, but that's not likely."

It was a very dangerous and scary statement, but there was no fear on Philly's face as she spoke. Instead, she had a faint smile and said,

"This case will be a joint mission involving our Imperial Palace, the Pros, and even Constel."

Philly said that and looked at Azier. Azier wasn't making any particular expression, but rarely, he was thinking the same thing as Philly.

With that same thought, Philly said,

"It's been a while."