few minutes later—
Outside the manor, the evening air had turned cooler.
Leon walked down the long stone corridor of Blade Fortress without hurry, his small footsteps echoing softly against the walls.
He was heading toward the main gate.
Servants lined the path and bowed as he passed.
Leon did not acknowledge them.
He already knew Serilda had ordered it.
His expression remained calm—almost indifferent.
Inside his mind, Nox finally spoke.
"…You enjoy playing with fire, don't you?"
Leon kept walking.
"I gave her exactly what she wanted," he replied calmly.
Nox scoffed. "A way to hurt Tempest Castle. That woman's hatred is not small."
Leon shrugged. "Whatever. I got my eight million gold."
There was no guilt in his voice. Only practicality.
Nox clicked his tongue. "From the story, Serilda is clearly the villain… yet you still helped her. For money."
Leon adjusted his sleeves as if the topic bored him.
Nox let out a dramatic sigh. "Truly despicable. Worthy of being this demon emperor's descendant."
Leon suddenly stopped mid-step.
"What?" he snapped under his breath. "Descendant? Yours? In your dreams!"
"Oh?" Nox mocked. " Your status window clearly states it.."
"That's because you are binded to me!" Shouted Leon.
Leon's voice rose slightly. "You talk too much."
"And you scheme too much."
"I'm five!"
"You're terrifying."
Leon resumed walking, irritation clear on his face now.
"Say that again and I'll ignore you for a week."
"You already ignore me."
"Good! then i would ignore you more!"
To anyone watching—
It looked like a five-year-old boy was arguing with empty air.
From the upper balcony, Serilda watched.
Her eyes narrowed slowly.
To her, Leon was alone.
No attendants.
No guards.
Yet he was shouting and arguing with thin air.
The wind brushed across the courtyard.
Serilda's gaze sharpened.
"…Krone."
"Yes, my lady."
"Who is he shouting at?"
Krone followed her line of sight carefully.
Leon reached the gate, still shouting, visibly irritated at someone who wasn't there.
Krone hesitated.
"…There is no one beside him, my lady."
Serilda's eyes darkened slightly.
"He's either pretending very well…"
A pause.
"…or that child is not alone."
Then,Krone slowly turned toward her.
There was hesitation in his eyes.
He bowed slightly.
"My lady… forgive my boldness, but why are you give him eight million gold? If the lord comes to know—"
"Quiet."
The single word was cold.
Sharp.
Krone immediately lowered his head.
The wind brushed against Serilda's hair as she continued staring into the distance.
"That boy," she said slowly, "gave me vital information."
Her fingers tightened slightly around the stone railing.
"Information that may secure our victory in the Duel of Estates."
Krone frowned faintly.
"But my lady… eight million gold is not a small amount Even for Blade Fortress!"
Serilda's expression hardened.
"For me," she said quietly, each word deliberate, "nothing is more important… than crushing Tempest Castle."
The hatred in her tone was no longer subtle.
It was clear.
Krone fell silent.
After a few moments, Serilda exhaled.
"Yes...The amount is indeed excessive."
Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"But I had no choice."
Krone hesitated again, then gathered courage.
"My lady… you could have taken the information and refused payment. He is only a five-year-old child. What could he possibly have done?"
Serilda slowly turned her head toward him.
Her gaze was steady.
"No."
A pause.
"He is not ordinary."
Krone stiffened slightly.
Serilda continued, her voice quieter now.
"He knows my secrets."
Krone's brows furrowed.
"Secrets I have hidden for years," she added. "Truth that no one knew..."
Her jaw tightened.
"No one was present when those events unfolded. No one outside the household."
She looked back toward the gate.
"And yet he recited them as if he had witnessed everything himself."
Krone felt a faint chill.He did not knew the secret completely.But still, he knew that it was something about matilda.
"That is not coincidence."
Serilda's fingers tapped lightly against the railing as she thought.
"He did not hesitate. He did not bluff. He spoke with certainty."
A short pause.
"But how?."
"There can only be one reason...he is not alone"
Krone swallowed.
"...He has backing."
"Yes."
Serilda's eyes darkened slightly.
"Someone powerful and also influential."
Krone asked carefully, "Is it Lucifer?"
"No."
Her answer came immediately.
"I do not believe so."
She shook her head.
"Lucifer has cut ties with the family and noble society...It's not him."
Her gaze sharpened.
"This is someone else."
She looked at Krone.
"Someone influential enough to access information even the Information Guild would struggle to obtain."
Krone's eyes widened slightly.
"…Then it explains everything."
Serilda remained silent, allowing him to continue.
"Him acquiring a Swordmaster as his exclusive knight."
Krone's tone grew more serious.
"And defeating Young Master Ruan despite having no resources or formal backing."
Serilda nodded slowly.
"Exactly."
The wind moved through the courtyard again.
"If our assumption is correct," she continued, voice calm but heavy with meaning, "then Leon is not merely clever."
She turned fully toward Krone.
"He is protected."
Krone felt unease settle in his chest.
"And if we attempt to eliminate him now…"
Serilda finished in a quiet, controlled tone.
"…we may provoke someone far more dangerous than a five-year-old child."
Serilda's gaze lingered on the gate a moment longer.
Then she spoke, almost casually—
"And by the way… you remember the sign I gave you when you exited the inner hall, right?"
Krone straightened.
"Yes, my lady."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"And?"
"I have arranged it."
Serilda turned toward him slowly.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Krone lowered his voice.
"I summoned the most beautiful young women within our territory. Carefully selected and trained in etiquette and charm."
Serilda's expression remained unreadable.
"And?"
Krone continued, "Felix has been escorted to a private guest chamber."
A brief pause.
"I ensured he was… not alone."
Serilda's eyes sharpened.
"What do you mean?"
Krone replied evenly.
"He has been locked inside with them."
The wind brushed against the balcony.
"They will seduce him," Krone said calmly. "Convince him to align with us. Secure his loyalty before Leon can fully claim it."
Serilda's gaze darkened slightly.
"Women?"
Her tone carried faint dissatisfaction.
"I signaled you to make him join us by tempting him."
She turned fully toward him.
"But women?"
Krone did not flinch.
"My lady… he is not interested in money nor power."
Serilda went silent.
Krone continued carefully.
The words had barely left Krone's mouth—
BOOM.
The entire eastern wing trembled.
A violent shockwave ripped through the courtyard. Windows shattered. Stone cracked. Birds scattered into the sky.
S
erilda and Krone turned instantly.
Smoke poured from one of the private guest chambers.
The door—No the entire wall had been blown outward.
From the smoke—
A figure shot out like a cannon.
It was Felix.He ran from the chamber.
His cloak torn at the edges. His expression dark.His speed monstrous.
In less than a heartbeat he cleared the courtyard.
In two—
He was already halfway to the outer gate.
Guards shouted in alarm.
Before anyone could react,he crossed the main gate in a blur.
And in seconds—
He vanished down the road beyond Blade Fortress.
There was complete Silence.
Dust drifted slowly through the air.
Servants froze and guards stared.
Serilda and Krone blinked.
Serilda did not move.She did not turn,but her voice was calm.
"…Krone."
Krone swallowed.
"…Yes, my lady."
Without looking at him, she asked—
"Were they trying to seduce him…"
A faint pause.
"…or assassinate him?! Why is he running like that?!"