The soldiers withdrew from the door, leaving them to Yukino, who was waiting at the entrance.
"Lord Rhode, Sister Mira—My Lady," Yukino remembered it was working hours, and quickly switched to a formal title, "And are you Mr. Jude? The Princess is waiting for you in the parlor."
With that, she led the way ahead.
Mira temporarily overlooked the issue of titles, asking Yukino how her work was going here, whether she was tired recently, eating well, and other everyday topics.
Yukino answered each question.
Rhode listened to their conversation from the side, deducing that Yukino seemed quite busy recently, having to keep an eye on the Great Demon Fighting martial arts events as well as helping out with the business here.
Though nothing specific was mentioned, judging by her appearance, it seemed quite significant, most likely related to the Ecliptic plan.
Rhode nodded, silently admiring his wife's impressive skills.
Concern for Yukino was genuine, but so was subtly probing for information. Was this a skill honed from years of indulging in gossip?
As they spoke, they arrived at the parlor. Yukino led the three inside, and Princess Jade stood up to greet them.
Refreshments were already prepared. Apart from Yukino, the others took their seats.
After exchanging greetings, Princess Jade said to Jude, "I heard about the Hartfelia Group before, and both my father and I have been very worried. Unfortunately, various reasons have kept us from visiting in person, and I apologize for that."
Jude replied, "Handling the affairs of a kingdom inevitably keeps one busy all day. I must thank His Majesty and Your Highness for your concern. However, that is all in the past, and my current life is very good."
Princess Jade inquired about Jude's health and work, and also praised Lucy's performance in the competition.
She then naturally shifted the topic to the two Fairy Tail teams.
"It's a pity Miss Mira withdrew from the competition, but I heard the reason... Congratulations on becoming parents soon."
Mira smiled, "Thank you."
Rhode interjected, "But at the same time, there are also many worries."
"Worries?"
Rhode lowered his eyes, "Yes, the most troublesome is that someone doesn't want this child to be born."
"Is there such a thing? How could it be?" Princess Jade pondered for a moment, surprised, "Could it be that your visit today is for... Is there anything my father and I can do to help?"
Rhode looked at her seriously, "Recently, I've heard of a magic called the Ecliptic."
Princess Jade's pupils constricted; this was a top-secret plan being secretly prepared, something outsiders absolutely should not know about.
Yukino's face also showed an expression of surprise.
Princess Jade forced a smile, "What's the meaning of that?"
This Princess seemed more 'frank' than expected. Rhode asked, "Is it convenient to discuss this matter here?"
It seemed he knew quite a bit. As Princess Jade thought about Rhode's words, she became even more convinced that he wasn't trying to deceive her but had truly grasped considerable intelligence.
"Yukino, please stand guard outside and ensure no one approaches."
"Yes." Yukino agreed, glancing at Rhode with hesitation, but ultimately said nothing and went to stand guard at the door as instructed.
Princess Jade adopted a serious expression, "Mr. Rhode, may I ask how much you know about this matter?"
Rhode skipped the long dissertation and only uttered a few keywords: "Gate, Star Spirit, massive magic power, past, Zeref."
As he spoke, he also gestured downward, indicating that he understood the approximate location of the gate.
Princess Jade took a deep breath, realizing he knew almost everything from the purpose to the method and necessary conditions.
She asked, "So what is your stance on this matter?"
Rhode candidly replied, "Foolish, cruel, and irresponsible."
Princess Jade opened her mouth, suddenly feeling immense pressure.
After a moment, she awkwardly smiled, "I didn't expect you to share the same opinion as Mr. Danton."
Mr. Danton is the Minister of State of the Fiore Kingdom, who has opposed the Ecliptic plan from the very beginning.
However, since the King, Princess, and Captain of the Knight Order all support its implementation, even with his opposition, the Ecliptic plan has continued to steadily advance.
Rhode mockingly remarked, "Seems like not everyone responsible for governing this country is a fool."
Princess Jade didn't mind his impolite remark, as Mr. Danton had said even more offensive things in moments of emotional agitation.
But the King and she understood that his intentions were for the good of the country, so they never condemned him for it.
She thought for a moment and asked, "You're aware of Acronologia, right? I heard Fairy Tail was attacked by it seven years ago."
Rhode nodded. Was this matter also related to that Black Dragon?
Princess Jade explained, "According to our research on the underground ruins and the ancient texts passed down through the royal family, the Black Dragon did not appear recently, but has existed for 400 years.
"Initially, its power wasn't as strong as it is now, and it didn't attack humans.
"However, as its power grew, its desire for destruction seemed to increase too, and records of the Black Dragon 'destroying nations' appeared more frequently.
"Following this trend, we believe that one day, it will completely 'go mad' and ultimately destroy the entire world.
"Fairy Tail once faced Acronologia directly, so you surely understand how despairing its power can be."
Mira's expression turned serious as she recalled that day's experience. She speculated, "Isn't the Ecliptic plan aimed at eliminating Zeref and the Black Dragon too?"
Princess Jade shook her head, "That's not entirely accurate, because according to our research, Acronologia is a product of Zeref's research on Black Magic.
"In other words, if we go back to the time before Zeref became immortal and eliminate him, there will be no Black Mage and no Acronologia.
"In this way, the two greatest threats to this world would disappear, and many tragedies would never occur."
Princess Jade was confident in the impact that her actions would have, looking at Rhode with hopeful eyes, "For a better world, I hope you will also support me in completing the Ecliptic plan!"
Rhode wondered whether the royal family had specific training in giving speeches.
Because when Princess Jade spoke, her tone, demeanor, and word choice combined to form a rather compelling impact.
Unfortunately, no matter how well-crafted the speech, it couldn't change the essence of the situation.
No matter how grand the goals sounded, they didn't conceal the recklessness of the plan.
Rhode asked, "Let's not discuss the source of this magic, nor the issue of the success rate.
"Haven't you considered the possibility of worse outcomes after altering history? Or have you ever heard of time paradoxes?"
Princess Jade nodded earnestly, "Of course we have. No matter how much we discuss time paradoxes, they remain mere theories. Without trying, there's no way to determine for certain."
Rhode was surprised. She even knew to test theories through practice, but could such matters be tried casually?
Princess Jade continued, "As for matters after altering history... we've had many discussions about it. But can you imagine a result worse than the world being destroyed by a Black Dragon or a Black Mage?"