“Leave the Eosia matter to me for now. If any new information comes in, report immediately.”

“Yes, understood.”

Borvel bowed politely and stepped back.

Leviathan called for Adolf.

“Bring me Rubian’s registration papers.”

“Here they are.”

He carefully completed the stack of complicated documents.

Rubian was his daughter. Whatever past she had didn’t matter anymore.

When it came to the section about her nationality, his pen hesitated.

“Adolf, the matter I told you to handle?”

“It’s done. A village called Marinvesta in the southern region of Vamilon.”

Leviathan nodded and filled in the line.

“I’ll be going to meet the Emperor.”

He quickly ordered the carriage prepared.

As he grabbed his coat to leave, something rolled across the floor—

a small glass vial that had been left on the desk.

Adolf snatched it before it could fall. An old blue ribbon was tied around it.

“What is this? Oh... the ribbon’s stained with blood.”

Leviathan stared at the vial. So it had been here in his office all this time.

“It’s something that once helped me on the battlefield.”

The vial held traces of black magic. Whenever he retraced its origins, he always found traces of a dark magician.

But who had sent it, he still didn’t know.

“Your Excellency, the carriage is ready.”

Leviathan slipped the vial into his pocket and stepped forward.

Rubian is my daughter.

His grip tightened around the papers in his hand.

From now on, Rubian would be the rightful daughter of House Zebret.

She would grow within his protection, cherished and safe.

What mattered to him was not her past, but her present—and her future.

“I’ve come to see His Majesty.”

At the grand palace gates, a servant saw Leviathan and immediately bowed low.

Meanwhile...

“By the way—cough—why couldn’t I contact you at Ipsun Mountain?”

I was having snacks with Khalid in the greenhouse.

Warm milk soothed my scratchy throat. Hazel had gone out to fetch preserved fruit that was good for colds.

Khalid poured more milk into my cup as he answered.

“My magic wasn’t stable. When that happens, it’s hard to talk with you.”

“What? Were you hurt? What about the bracelet?”

“I had it on.”

Khalid lifted his wrists. Three golden rings clinked softly.

This wasn’t an ordinary magical tool.

When we wandered the battlefield, I had found it in ancient ruins. I engraved a magic circle on it and gave it to him, since his still-growing body struggled to control his overflowing magic.

The bracelet stored excess magic like a vessel, then released it back into the body when needed. Simple enough.

“Then why was your magic unstable?”

At my question, Khalid frowned, looking troubled.

“Probably... psychological reasons.”

“Huh?”

“When I get anxious or scared, it happens sometimes.”

I tilted my head.

“What were you so anxious about? Sure, the situation was scary, but there were adults with us...”

“That wasn’t it.”

For a while, he didn’t answer. Then, in a stiff, low voice, he muttered:

“...They always said the second time is easier.”

“Eh?”

“Running away. Abandoning someone. They said once you’ve done it once, the second time is much easier.”

“Abandoning... what? Who said that to you?!”

His clear eyes fixed on me.

“Mercenaries who left their wives behind. They said it like a habit.”

I was speechless.

Seriously—what kind of nonsense did they feed this kid?!

“Don’t hang around those uncles again!”

“They’re not in this world anymore anyway.”

...Well, good riddance.

I let out a long sigh and picked up a cookie with strawberry jam.

So basically...

“He was anxious I’d abandon him again.”

Anxious enough that he couldn’t even control his magic.

The realization made him look like a rain-soaked puppy, head slightly bowed.

Ah, I felt awful.

With a solemn look, I crunched into the cookie.

“Alright, Khal. I swear.”

“What?”

“No matter where I go, I’ll always tell you first.”

His sharp eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“I mean it! I swear on this strawberry cookie!”

“...You eat the symbol of your oath like that?”

Gulp.

I swallowed and laughed awkwardly.

“I swallowed the oath! Here, you eat too.”

Reluctantly, he chewed the cookie I pushed at him.

“You promised. If you break it...”

His words trailed off.

I quickly jumped in.

“If I break it—then, uh... we’ll stop being friends!”

“....”

“Just ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ thinking about it hurts, doesn’t it?”

“I feel sick. I want to throw the cookie up now.”

“What?”

“Not hard to do. Just hearing you say ‘stop being friends’ made me nauseous.”

“Hey!”

I shot up, staring as he covered his mouth and slumped weakly over the table.

“How can you say that so casually...?”

His voice trembled faintly.

“Wait... are you crying? Throwing up? What are you doing?”

I bent close, trying to see his face, but he turned it away.

“Quit it.”

“Are you mad? Why?”

“I’m not mad. Just sulking...”

“Huh? So are you crying or not?”

“I’m not crying!”

“Your face looks really pale.”

“Then cancel what you said about breaking off.”

“Alright, fine. Canceled, canceled!”

When I said it, he slowly revealed his handsome face from behind his arms. His cheeks were puffed out, his expression sulky—but it was cute.

“Oooh, were you scared of the words ‘break up’?”

I teased as I ruffled his hair.

His cheeks, round like steamed buns, were too tempting—I reached to poke them.

But suddenly Khalid shot up like he’d been struck by an arrow.

“Why are you touching me so much today? Holding my hand, grabbing—”

...Was I?

Still...

“So what? Why are you acting so bothered?”

Now he seemed overly sensitive.

My empty hand felt strangely awkward. I couldn’t see how red his neck had turned.

“Keep some distance.”

“What? Why do I have to?”

The words left my mouth—and then I froze.

Wait a second...

I cautiously sniffed myself.

“...No way.”

Determined, I suddenly leaned in close again. Khalid stumbled backward.

Oh-ho.

I stepped closer. He backed away.

What the—at first I was joking, but now...

A wave of disappointment washed over me. I bit my lip.

“Khal, you bad boy! Just what do you think of me?!”

“You’re asking that out of nowhere? Of course—”

But he suddenly clamped his lips shut. His whole face flushed red.

What was that?!

Before I could ask, a huge shadow loomed behind him.

“Khalid, you brat, here you are!”

A booming voice. Someone grabbed Khalid by the scruff of his neck.

“When are you going to stop skipping training—huh?”

That voice. That silhouette!

“Grandpa!”

I turned happily.

But something was wrong. Normally he’d rush over and smother me with beard attacks. Instead—

“S-so-so-so...”

He froze, clutching Khalid’s neck.

“Cow? Moo? You mean a cow?”

“M-my graaandchild...”

Was his hand hurting?

“Grand... child...”

“What? I don’t understand, Grandpa.”

I reached out toward him, but he stepped back like he’d seen a ghost.

Whoa—retreat combo, two steps in a row!

At this point, I couldn’t ignore it anymore.

“So it really is me... Ruby?”

All I did was skip a bath because I was sick.

“Do I really smell that bad?!”

But still—did everyone really have to avoid me like this?!

“Waaah! How unfair! Goodbye!”

I ran off crying.

I’ll scrub myself clean this time!