The father and son immediately made their way toward the Head Butler’s office with panic written all over their faces.

The calm and luxurious atmosphere of the Sterling Mansion had completely vanished.

Servants lowered their heads nervously while moving aside from the rushing father and son.

Even the guards stationed around the hallways looked tense after hearing the shouting earlier.

"March!"

Zavier sharply pointed toward the elderly Head Butler the moment they entered the office.

"Yes, Lord Zavier."

March immediately bowed deeply while waiting for instructions.

"Clean up my office immediately and call a wood-crafter to fix the broken lock on the door."

Zavier spoke hurriedly while adjusting his breathing.

His usual noble composure had completely fallen apart.

Then...

He quickly entered the room together with Zara.

Still...

Even at this moment...

He pointed toward a corner coldly.

"Stand there quietly."

Zara immediately obeyed without arguing.

Zavier hurried toward the glowing blue glass tablet resting on the desk.

His fingers trembled slightly while touching the screen.

Click.

A holographic image appeared above the tablet.

A floating phone-like icon formed with waves of blue light rippling around it.

Zavier quickly pressed it.

Immediately...

A square holographic screen formed before him.

The moment the image fully appeared...

"Greetings, Lord Astraea."

Zavier instantly dropped onto both knees; his forehead nearly touched the ground.

The panic inside his chest became worse the second he saw her face, because he knew exactly what kind of person Astraea Ashenlocke was.

Shit...

Is this the end of everything I built?

His thoughts became chaotic, even his body vibrated slightly from fear.

"Baron Sterling."

Astraea’s voice echoed calmly from the screen while her sharp eyes slowly scanned the room Zavier was inside.

"The boy you tried hiding. Call him out now."

Her voice wasn’t loud, but the authority inside it felt suffocating.

"W-Which boy are you talking about, My Lady?"

Zavier forced out with a trembling voice.

"Sterling..."

Astraea slowly narrowed her eyes at him.

That gaze...

Cold, patient and dangerous gaze.

Like a predator calmly watching prey struggle before killing it.

She isn’t even physically here...Yet this pressure alone is already this terrifying.

Zavier clenched his fists tightly.

After thinking quickly...

He immediately understood something, he couldn’t stall anymore, not with those eyes staring at him.

One wrong word...

And everything would collapse completely.

"Zara!"

He suddenly shouted toward his son desperately.

"Come here right now!"

Zara flinched hard from the sudden scream.

"I said MOVE, you foolish boy!"

Only then did Zara finally rush forward nervously.

The moment he reached his father’s side...He immediately dropped onto his knees too.

"Greetings, Your Lordship."

His voice shook badly.

Astraea quietly stared at both father and son in silence for several seconds.

The atmosphere became heavier little by little.

"Boy."

Her voice came out lazy, but cold.

Astraea sat with her legs crossed while resting her cheek against the back of her hand.

"Lift your face."

She spoke calmly.

The moment those words entered Zara’s ears...

His entire body nearly went numb.

What is happening now? Does she want to confirm whether I’m the real Zara or...

His heartbeat violently accelerated.

Beside him, Zavier quickly glanced toward him sharply.

Move!

That look clearly said.

Zara swallowed hard.

Sweat dripped from the side of his face continuously while he slowly lifted his head upward.

"Ehnnn..."

Astraea suddenly smirked in amusement.

"So, a Baron family actually lied about their own child just to protect another one."

She laughed softly while shaking her head.

"This is honestly funny."

Behind her, Rowan stepped forward and handed her a file during the live call.

The moment Zavier heard her words, his eyes widened instantly.

She knows?!

His hands visibly trembled afterward.

How? How did she discover it this quickly?!

Everything is ruined...Completely ruined...

Why did that trash survive?

HOW?!

Hatred and panic violently mixed together inside his head.

"Relax, Baron."

Astraea scoffed lightly.

"I’m not calling to scold or punish anyone."

She adjusted her sitting posture while opening the file completely.

"Actually..."

Her eyes slowly scanned the contents.

"Really?!"

Hope suddenly reignited inside Zavier’s eyes.

Even Zara looked shocked.

***

After Astraea entered the airship together with Felix earlier...

The atmosphere inside her private room had remained extremely tense.

Especially for Felix.

The humiliation from losing publicly still burned inside him badly.

"Your disappointing display will be dealt with later."

Astraea spoke flatly while sitting calmly while Felix stiffened slightly after hearing that.

"But first..."

She looked directly at him.

"Tell me about the Lowline who dared showing killing intent toward you."

Her expression remained serious.

Not angry.

Just calm.

But Felix knew that kind of calmness was worse.

"The boy tried killing me during the second trial."

Felix immediately began explaining everything quickly.

"So, that makes this the second time he has attempted to kill you."

Astraea folded her arms. Her expression became colder.

"But I already taught him a lesson by almost getting him killed once."

Felix’s eyes darkened slightly while speaking.

"And knowing what you always taught me, Mother..."

He forced a smirk.

"People who annoy us should have their loose ends cut off permanently."

"So, I prepared an ambush during the fourth trial..."

His expression suddenly stiffened afterward.

"But somehow he survived again."

"That sounds like a rat refusing to die."

York, Astraea’s second guard, finally spoke flatly from behind her.

"Did you fight him personally, Gareth?"

Rowan turned toward Gareth afterward.

Gareth sat calmly on the sofa nearby with his usual relaxed expression.

"No. I didn’t get the chance, but I do know that Lowline is surprisingly strong."

He answered honestly.

"I heard some things directly from Raymond himself."

Astraea tapped her finger lightly against the table.

"He’s definitely strange."

"That’s why I investigated him further."

Gareth calmly continued.

"The issue is...Even though his recorded name is Zara...The name everyone around Veda’s group constantly says is Ezra."

Gareth sighed slightly afterward.

"Unfortunately, I couldn’t find deeper details further than that."

He bowed respectfully.

"My apologies, Lord Astraea." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"You’re fine."

Astraea lazily waved her hand dismissively.

"Lord Astraea..."

Rowan suddenly narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.

"It seems Elder Tabitha’s Head Maid knows more about the boy."

"Then gather the information quickly."

Astraea immediately replied sharply.

And that was how Rowan met with Tabitha’s Head Maid and gathered the information regarding Ezra’s mother.

Since Ezra’s mother had once worked under the Ashenlocke Family as a training servant, it wasn’t difficult for Rowan to send a direct request to the department known as the Servants of Ash and obtain her complete records.

From there...

Everything slowly became clear.

Her first two children.

The twins.

Zara and Ezra.

The moment Astraea connected those pieces together, she immediately understood the entire situation.

Baron Sterling had secretly switched the identities of the twins to protect the son he favored while sacrificing the other one, believing the weak Ezra would never survive the Trial of Steel.

***

"The Zara that went through the Trials of Steel..."

Astraea spoke calmly while resting her cheek against the back of her hand.

"...is actually your dead son Ezra, correct?"

Even though her tone sounded casual, the pressure behind those words made the room turn silent.

Zavier quickly nodded.

"Yes... yes, My Lady."

Beside him, Zara also hurriedly nodded with a stiff expression on his face.

"Okay."

Astraea smiled softly.

The smile wasn’t warm.

If anything...

It made the father and son feel even more nervous.

"Mum..."

Felix suddenly stepped closer toward the holographic screen.

"Let me handle this part."

Astraea lazily waved her fingers without even looking at him properly, giving him permission to continue.

Since Ezra was the one who offended Felix personally, she clearly intended to let him deal with the matter himself.

Felix slowly walked forward until his face became clearer within the holographic display.

"You Lowlines are going to do something important for me now..."

His voice came out cold and sharp.

"...if you don’t want to lose your lives."

The moment those words landed...

Zavier immediately forced out a relieved smile.

"Please speak, Young Sir. I’m listening carefully."

Right now, he only cared about surviving this situation.

"Your trash son Ezra offended me."

Felix spoke while casually pacing back and forth in front of the camera.

"And from the type of personality I observed during my encounters with him..."

A smug smile slowly appeared on his face.

"I’m sure he hasn’t shown himself to you people yet. He’s probably thinking of cutting ties..."

Felix chuckled lightly afterward.

"Or maybe...He’s trying to figure out how to publicly reveal his true identity."

His footsteps echoed softly inside the room while he continued walking.

"Ezra already understands something important."

Felix stopped moving.

"Even with the physical achievements that earned him sixth place in the Trial..."

The moment those words were spoken...

Both Zavier and Zara froze completely.

He ranked sixth?

Zara’s fists instantly tightened hard.

How is that possible? That Ezra?

That weak and skinny Ezra?

The same Ezra I normally beat down so easily in the past?

The same Ezra whose nose started bleeding from a single punch of mine?

For a brief second...

Zara genuinely almost laughed from disbelief.

But he quickly held himself back.

"Believe it or not..."

Felix smirked while staring directly toward Zara.

"He did. But..."

Felix’s smile widened further.

"It wasn’t Ezra who ranked sixth. It was Zara."

Silence immediately filled the office.

Zara slowly lifted his head afterward.

At that moment...

He finally understood what Felix was trying to imply.

"You want me to take my brother’s place, Young Sir?"

Zara asked carefully, though excitement was already beginning to rise inside him.

"You’re quite smart."

Felix smirked with satisfaction.

"Yes, you’ll become the official Zara who ranked sixth in the Trial and Ezra..."

His expression became colder.

"...must die so the truth remains buried."

Felix rested both hands against the table calmly.

"You want me to kill my son?"

Zavier asked hesitantly, but even while saying those words...

His eyes were already changing.

"You already wanted him dead anyway."

Felix spoke casually.

"Since he became useless to you long ago and luckily for your favorite son..."

Felix lazily pointed toward Zara.

"...Ezra returned with one final gift."

Zara unconsciously straightened his posture proudly after hearing that.

"Find a way to erase Ezra completely."

Felix’s tone became firmer.

"Because on the thirty-first of this month, the Ashenlocke Reveal Party will begin."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"That event will reveal the new Heir and the future talents of Ashenlocke to the entire kingdom and your son must attend publicly..."

Felix looked directly toward Zara.

"...so, everyone fully recognizes him as the Zara who passed the Trial."

Then...

Felix slowly exhaled.

"But if two Zaras appear at the party..."

His gaze moved toward the frozen Zavier.

The image alone already sounded disastrous.

Zavier’s expression stiffened badly.

He could already imagine the chaos that would happen if the Main Family discovered everything publicly.

"I’ll kill him."

Zavier suddenly spoke sharply.

The hesitation inside his eyes had already disappeared completely.

If Ezra dies, not only can I save the family from this dilemma, I can also gain big time.

Rank six.

The unveiling, and my son Zara will be known as one of the lights of the great Ashenlocke. Plus, I also heard the price for the top ten in that trial gets the slots to the Royal Academy.

His breathing slowly became heavier from excitement.

His eyes glittered greedily.

Haha...

Ezra, you useless trash.

You should have simply stayed dead quietly.

Honestly, if you didn’t suddenly return acting like that...Maybe I would have thought of using your brother instead.

But now...

Zavier glanced toward Zara.

It can’t be helped anymore.

This was already your fate from the beginning.

"For the sake of this family..."

Zavier lowered his head slightly.

"I’ll make sure everything gets handled properly."

His voice now carried conviction.

"Good."

Felix clapped softly with satisfaction.

A pleased smile appeared on his face.

"Sir Felix..."

Zara suddenly bowed respectfully.

"Once this matter is over, I’ll serve under you with everything I have."

"Ehnn..."

Felix stared at him with amusement.

"You really are a smart one."

His smile widened slightly afterward.

"I’ll send you a few things that’ll help you imitate your brother more accurately before the party."

The moment Felix finished speaking...

The holographic call immediately disconnected.