The evening sun dipped below the horizon, but inside my estate, the atmosphere was anything but relaxing.

I was frantically pacing back and forth across the grand foyer.

"Lily! Did you check the roast? Is the tea prepared? The high-grade leaves, not the everyday ones!"

"Y-Yes, Boss! It’s simmering perfectly!" Lily squeaked, furiously scrubbing a spot on the marble floor that was already shining like a mirror.

Beside her, Alicia was also meticulously dusting the banister for the fourth time.

Standing quietly in the corner, observing this absolute spectacle of panic, was Nero.

The ten-year-old boy watched with deep bewilderment. Having been a beggar on the filthy streets since he could remember, and then sold as a slave just for a scrap of bread, all Nero had ever known was misery and cruelty. He had heard the horrifying rumors from other slaves—that some eccentric nobles bought young kids just to toy with them until they broke. When he was purchased, he had lost all hope.

But his new Master never asked for anything twisted. Master Lucien had given him a warm bed, clean clothes, and a life he could never have imagined in his wildest dreams. Nero had silently vowed to give everything, even his life, to protect his Master.

And right now, that all-powerful Master seemed extremely nervous.

If someone is making Master this anxious, Nero thought, his small fists clenching at his sides, then this incoming guest must be a very terrible, evil person.

If Lucien could have heard the kid’s inner turmoil right then, he would have walked over and smacked the back of his head. What are you, a tragic protagonist? You’re a ten-year-old kid! Stop having such troublesome, dark thoughts!

"Are the guest slippers ready? Is the parlor aired out?" I barked, adjusting my collar for the fifth time.

"Everything is flawless, Master," Alicia replied, her voice steady, though she was polishing a vase with unnecessary speed.

Just then, the heavy, rhythmic sound of marching boots and armored horses echoed from the cobblestone street outside.

My heart skipped a beat. She’s here.

I took a deep breath, plastered on my best aristocratic poker face, and pulled the heavy front doors open.

The street was lined with rows of elite Royal Knights, their armor gleaming under the mana streetlamps. A luxurious, pitch-black carriage bearing the golden crest of the Imperial Family was parked directly in front of my gates.

The carriage door opened, and a knight immediately knelt to offer a step.

Princess Rumina stepped out into the evening chill.

She looked absolutely breathtaking. She wore an immaculate, deep crimson evening gown that hugged her figure, draped with a heavy, black dire-wolf fur cloak. Her metallic amber eyes caught the light of the lamps, glowing with an intense, predatory intellect.

If I didn’t already know her true, terrifying nature as the ruthless Head of Imperial Intelligence, I would have easily been fooled by her overwhelming beauty.

I immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply, crossing my right arm over my chest.

"I greet the First Princess of the Empire, Her Highness Rumina," I said smoothly. "Welcome to my humble abode."

Rumina walked up the stone steps, her heels clicking sharply. She paused in front of me, her amber eyes sweeping over the massive, sprawling mansion, the pristine gardens, and the glowing magical wards.

"A ’humble’ abode, Cadet Lucien?" Rumina teased, a raspy, amused chuckle escaping her lips. "If this sprawling fortress in the heart of the Academy District is humble, I shudder to think what you consider extravagant."

"I merely meant it pales in comparison to the Imperial Palace, Your Highness," I deflected, gesturing for her to enter.

As Rumina stepped into the grand foyer, the sheer weight of her royal aura flooded the room.

It was entirely natural for commoners to feel terrified in the presence of high royalty. Lily was visibly shaking, keeping her head bowed so low her nose practically touched her apron.

Nero, however, wasn’t bowing. The kid was standing slightly in front of Lily, glaring daggers at the First Princess with absolute, protective hostility.

Rumina noticed immediately. She paused, raising an elegant eyebrow at the ten-year-old boy daring to glare at royalty.

Before Rumina could comment on the blatant disrespect, Alicia stepped smoothly into her line of sight, blocking Nero.

"May I take your cloak, Your Highness?" Alicia asked, her voice perfectly even, her posture impeccable.

Unlike Lily and Nero, Alicia was completely and utterly unfazed by the royal pressure. Having once been the princess of a fallen kingdom herself, she knew exactly how to handle Imperial auras.

Rumina’s eyes narrowed slightly as she studied Alicia. As the Head of Intelligence, she undoubtedly recognized the silver-haired maid’s true identity, but she chose not to press the issue.

"Thank you," Rumina said, unfastening the black fur.

We moved to the drawing-room. I sat opposite her on the plush velvet sofas, while Alicia served the high-grade tea with flawless grace before retreating to the door.

"Is there something specific you need from me tonight, Your Highness?" I asked cautiously, taking a sip of my tea. "Or is this just a casual visit to check up on a lowly cadet?"

Rumina smiled, resting her chin on her hand. "Nothing quite so casual, Lucien. I am actually here on official business, acting on behalf of the Emperor himself."

I stiffened slightly. The Emperor? "Your unprecedented contributions at the Northern Borders have reached His Majesty’s ears," Rumina continued, her tone turning a shade more serious. "Securing the Titan’s Heart and stabilizing the barrier single-handedly... it is not an achievement the Crown can simply ignore. His Majesty has decided to reward you."

She clapped her hands twice.

The drawing-room doors opened, and a heavily armored Royal Knight walked in, carrying an exquisite, polished mahogany box lined with gold. He placed it gently on the glass table between us, bowed, and stepped back out.

"Open it," Rumina commanded softly.

I leaned forward and unlatched the golden clasp. The lid swung open.

Resting on a bed of crushed red velvet was a revolver.

It wasn’t a crude, modern flintlock or a bulky experimental firearm like the ones I had seen in the Empire’s armories. It was a masterpiece. The metal was forged from a sleek, midnight-black alloy that seemed to absorb the light in the room. Intricate, glowing silver filigree traced along the long barrel, and the grip was carved from pristine, polished ivory.

"What is this?" I asked, genuinely mesmerized by the craftsmanship.

"It is a relic recently excavated from the deepest ruins of the Lumeveil Empire," Rumina explained, watching my reaction closely. "A civilization that prided itself on magical engineering before it fell to ruin centuries ago. Since you have such a... unique preference for being a marksman, I thought this would be a fitting addition to your rather explosive arsenal."

She smiled, a dangerous glint in her eye. "Consider it a token of the Crown’s appreciation. And a reminder of who you serve."

I didn’t care about the political warning attached to it. My eyes were completely glued to the gun.

I reached out and wrapped my hand around the ivory grip. The metal was unnaturally cool, but the moment my skin made contact, a violent surge of mana pulsed up my arm.

Ding!

A translucent blue System window abruptly exploded into my vision, overlaying the revolver.

[Item Discovered: The Lumeveil Enforcer]

[Rank: Mythic (Damaged)]

[Type: Magic-Infused Firearm (Revolver)] 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

[Description:] A masterwork sidearm forged by the Grand Artificers of the fallen Lumeveil Empire. Designed specifically to channel high-density mana into lethal kinetic force.

[Stats:]

Attack Power: +450

Mana Conductivity: 98% (Perfect for elemental infusion)

[Hidden Feature 1: ’Phantom Cylinder’]

This weapon does not require physical ammunition. It automatically draws upon the user’s mana pool to synthesize high-velocity ethereal bullets. (Cost: 10 Mana per shot).

[Hidden Feature 2: ’Trajectory Override’]

Bullets fired from this weapon can have their trajectory altered mid-flight based on the user’s willpower and spatial awareness. I stared at the glowing blue text, my breath completely catching in my throat.

Trajectory Override? My mind instantly flashed back to the ruined inn yesterday, to the First Gun Master curving bullets through the air like magic.

With this gun, I realized, my grip tightening on the ivory handle, I can actually replicate the Executioner’s Curved Shot.