Leon City was where the St. Claire family resided. The most expensive city in the Prism Kingdom, known for its striking red leaves and often regarded as the place where the heavens connected with the earth below.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Church of Change stood at the heart of Leon City, run by none other than the St. Claire family.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Between Leomaris and Raine, the engagement was nothing short of a political saga. The St. Claire family needed the Duke’s influence and riches to restore their church’s standing. The Runerths, house of villains, needed a family tied to the Firstlight Goddess to cement their own religious footing.

Leomaris was well aware. It hardly mattered, though. Raine was more than just a fiancée, she was his ticket to building something strong.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

A few cunning words to his mother were all it took. He’d secured the help of a handful of men, and he was willing to pay handsomely for it.

’She permitted Sebastian to assist me on this mission and even provided two of her guards. She must be cold, but I think she secretly cares for me.’

The day of Raine’s arrival. Her train was set to take off around six in the morning, yet there was Leomaris at one in the morning, standing at the entrance of the Runerth estate, pacing back and forth in his pajamas, waiting for his servants.

’If my calculations are correct, the best place for an ambush is in the mountains. There are police bases scattered throughout the forest. No sane person would hide anywhere near there... but these are the Unholy Priests. They are everywhere, even within the military.’

He took a deep breath, heavy-hearted, and calmed himself down. Overthinking wasn’t his preference, but the situation demanded it.

’I have scattered twenty-four men across the entire railway and a further six to deliver information among them. However, I cannot rule out the possibility that an Unholy Priest is among my own allies. This could go terribly wrong.’

He was more paranoid than he ought to be, but the anxiety was justified. The Unholy Priests were no simple thugs, they were ordinary civilians who carried themselves like vigilantes. That was precisely why Samael had been so easily accepted by them.

Payment was required before they moved, and even then, they’d size up the situation first. Did the target truly deserve punishment? Their beliefs made them feel more like a cult than hired muscle. A movement, really. Even the most fragile vegetable seller could be an Unholy Priest.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

That was what terrified him. He knew what they were capable of, he’d read enough to know. And if they took this mission seriously, the way Samael had suggested, he was most definitely going to fail.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

His mind was still wandering when Sebastian arrived, alongside Aaron, Hazel, and two guards, in a black horse carriage.

The first person to step out was Hazel. Two years Leomaris’s junior, with cascading dark hair and innocent blue eyes that made her look nothing like a butler and everything like a front page magazine model.

Next was Aaron. A veteran, past unknown to Leomaris. But wherever life had taken him had left him bald, with a scar across his brow that looked as though his brain had been removed at some point.

Soon enough, Sebastian and the two remaining men stepped out. They all bowed, slight and respectful.

"We’ve arrived, young master."

Those words hardly registered. Leomaris stared at the five of them, running scenarios over and over in his head, searching for the one that fit best, even if there was a traitor in the mix.

Then finally, he settled on something.

The first person his eyes found was Aaron.

"Aaron, I would like you to oversee the entire process. I understand you are skilled at extracting information by your own methods and quick to appear where most people do not want you. Whenever you sense something is wrong, you have my permission to act. If you must go to Leon City for her safety, so be it... please handle this for me."

Dumbfounded. Aaron tried to mask it, but it showed regardless. Not only was the Runerth family’s scapegoat thinking clearly, but he’d gone and spoken to him like a decent human being.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Without wasting a moment, he showed his respect plainly. "I won’t disappoint you, young master."

His eyes found Sebastian. He’d never seen the man fight before, but he had every reason to believe the heavy lifting could be left to him.

"Sebastian... I would like you to wait for the train in the mountains. I strongly believe it will be attacked there. If it is not, I would like you to board the train, find Raine, and ensure her safe arrival. More importantly, I give you the freedom to act however."

Sebastian accepted his role respectfully.

"The two of you will be with Sebastian on top of the mountain," he said to the guards.

Done with the others, he turned to Hazel. His masterpiece. He reached into his trousers, pulled out a revolver, and carefully handed it to her. After that, he asked for a moment alone with Hazel.

Hazel looked at him with those eyes, and he found himself wondering how exactly she’d ended up as his butler. More importantly, though, how was she supposed to catch Rosemary’s attention? Seeing her for the first time, she could easily be mistaken for a doll.

Still, the signs were there. Rosemary had handpicked her, and Samael had wanted to negotiate for her. There was more to Hazel than Leomaris knew.

"I will leave Raine in your care once she arrives in San Paulette. I know you are good at acting and playing roles. You understand situations quickly and could fool most people one-on-one... which is why you are the only person I can trust. I believe you can help Raine disguise herself and draw the enemy’s attention away. Please, lend me your strength."

Hazel gulped bile. Her eyes gave her away. She was beginning to see her master in a different light, and the last thing she wanted was to fall for tricks that would later prove nothing but a false reality.

"But, young master, people are aware of my skills and know I am your butler. Wouldn’t they expect that from me?"

A soft smile tugged on Leomaris’s lips.

"That’s exactly why you have to do it, Hazel. They know what to expect, that alone makes them hesitant. They’ll expect it, but their attention will be split, since they’ll also expect a different approach from you."

He reached out and touched her shoulder, trying to offer some encouragement.

"I believe in you; I always have. I know your skills are more than enough to survive this situation. My life quite literally depends on this, and I leave it in your hands, Hazel."

Hazel stared at him a moment longer, then paid her respects and said nothing more.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

"I won’t disappoint, young master."

They climbed into the carriage and began to move. Whatever he’d said to convince Hazel had been a fluke.

The words came from memory, and he wasn’t certain she was as talented as everyone made her out to be. Even so, he’d entrusted her with his situation in this world.

He could only slightly trust these five out of everyone on this mission. They were from his mother’s faction, and that was the most he had to go on.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

He stood at the entrance with his hands on his waist. Couldn’t leave the estate. And if his plan didn’t work, he could only hope Aaron or Sebastian would come up with something. He hoped so.