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“There was something like that in the document?”  

“Yes.”  

Eugene nodded slightly, then explained what he had deciphered from the document.  

“‘Offer the sacrifice to inherit the great will. The sacrifice must share blood with the guide. After purifying the sacrifice’s blood, take its life and offer the cleansed blood to the altar.’”  

There was no point in trying to comfort Eugene with false reassurances that the sacrifice mentioned in the document wasn’t him. Based on the unfolding events and the various clues, it was obvious that Eugene was the intended sacrifice. The purification rituals he underwent as a child and all the actions Duke Kreutz took to retrieve him were all clear indicators.  

Trying to give the sharp-minded Eugene any optimistic but empty words would be futile.  

“I won’t let anything happen to you.”  

Instead of attempting weak consolation, I gave him my firm commitment. It was my sincere vow. This wasn’t just about stopping Hazen’s suspicious “grand plan,” backed by the late emperor’s influence. Eugene was a dear friend, someone I had countless memories with since childhood. I remembered the shy boy who, despite having nothing, worked tirelessly to calculate the orbits of the stars just to give me a birthday gift. At that moment, I promised myself I’d protect him in return for that genuine heart.  

I thought my sincerity would reassure him, but Eugene let out a small sigh, as though he was frustrated.  

“Reshia, I’m not concerned about my safety.”  

“What? You should be worried about your safety! What are you worried about then?”  

I jumped up, eyes wide, and Eugene, with a somewhat furrowed brow, responded,  

“I want to fully understand the situation since it involves me. I don’t want to just leave everything to you. A relationship where one side only receives isn’t healthy.”  

He wasn’t wrong.  

“But you…”  

I wanted to say, “You’re still young, so it’s only natural for you to be protected by adults!” But I was currently in the form of someone younger than Eugene, so it wasn’t something I could say convincingly.  

I turned to Axel and the Duke for help, but both wore heavy expressions, clearly deep in thought after hearing what Eugene had deciphered from the encrypted document.  

“Lord Kreutz,” the Duke of Elpinard, after carefully considering the situation, spoke up calmly.  

“You’re not wrong. One should make decisions about their own life. However, when you’re in a situation where it’s difficult to protect yourself, sometimes it’s wise to relinquish a bit of control.”  

He was essentially saying that if Eugene wanted to shape his future, he first needed to gain the strength to do so.  

“So, for now, I’d like you to trust us—trust Elpinard. A lot is riding on your existence, and it seems the late emperor harbors greater ambitions than we anticipated.”  

The Duke tapped lightly on the unsigned document.  

“I’m not asking to make you my subordinate. No oath of fealty is needed. Haven’t you always wanted to escape the Kreutz family?”  

Eugene’s shoulders flinched slightly at the Duke’s smooth persuasion.

The Duke, sensing Eugene’s resolve wavering, drove the point home.

“If you sign here, you can receive the title and sever all ties with your family for good.”  

“And if that happens, you could even have a partner at official balls,” Axel, who had been silently standing by, added nonchalantly.  

‘Why is he suddenly talking about balls?’ I stared at Axel in disbelief, thinking his comment was completely unhelpful. However, Axel just shrugged confidently, as if to say, “Just wait and see.” I couldn’t understand what he was thinking, but to my surprise, Eugene responded positively.  

“…I understand.”  

But the words that followed didn’t seem like he was fully accepting the situation.  

“The important thing is the title, correct? I still have time before my official graduation from the Ivory Tower, so I’ll obtain a title on my own by then.”  

“Obtain a title… on your own?”  

Was that even something someone could just *get*? If it were that easy, everyone would have a title. But Eugene seemed unphased, as if this wasn’t a difficult task. Did he have some sort of plan in mind? I tilted my head and looked at him, but his calm expression betrayed no hint of what he might be thinking. Seeing the usually smiling Eugene suddenly wear such a serious expression made me feel awkward and strangely itchy inside.  

“As I said, I won’t let you return to Kreutz. Whatever happens, I’ll stop that. And I don’t like loose ends,” the Duke said, his gaze unwavering as he warned Eugene. His sharp, intimidating eyes clearly intended to instill fear, but Eugene stood tall, meeting the Duke’s gaze head-on without flinching.  

After a moment, the Duke relaxed his fierce demeanor, leaning back comfortably in his chair.  

“Can you resolve this within a week? I can’t afford to wait any longer than that.”  

“I’ll do my best,” Eugene replied.  

“Good. If nothing changes in a week, I’ll make sure you sign this document one way or another.”  

“I made a promise in Your Grace’s presence. If I can’t fulfill it, I’ll willingly sign before you even have to intervene,” Eugene said firmly.  

The Duke nodded lightly and placed the document into his drawer before turning his gaze to Axel.  

“We’ll need to ensure Lord Kreutz’s safety. The opposition may resort to kidnapping.”  

“Like my father did before?” Axel asked, narrowing his eyes.  

The Duke, glancing at me awkwardly, coughed loudly.  

“Kidnapping? Nonsense. I simply ‘delivered’ an invitation from the Ivory Tower and escorted the young lord here.”  

Though the Duke was answering Axel’s question, he kept looking at me the whole time, as if trying to justify himself. Axel, unimpressed, shook his head in disbelief.  

“Well, I’m sure you ‘left’ the invitation behind, at least,” Axel retorted.  

The subtle difference between the Duke’s claim of delivering the invitation and Axel’s insinuation that he had merely left it behind was striking, but before I could ponder it too deeply, the Duke cleared his throat again.  

Eugene seized the opportunity to interject smoothly, siding with the Duke.  

“His Grace brought me here respectfully. I don’t see it as kidnapping.”  

“Well, the person involved seems to agree.”

The Duke tilted his head slightly and glanced at Axel, his expression as unreadable as always, but there was a faint sense of triumph in the air. Axel clicked his tongue lightly, alternating his gaze between the Duke and Eugene, who had supported him.

“Eugene Kreutz, so you’re siding with them now?”  

“Siding? I was merely stating the facts,” Eugene replied, bowing respectfully.  

The Duke quickly backed him up.  

“Exactly. Just speaking the truth, nothing more.”  

With the two of them united in their response, even Axel, formidable as he was, seemed at a loss. Eventually, a sigh escaped his lips. Watching the rare sight of Axel admitting defeat was amusing—until, unexpectedly, I found myself caught in the crossfire.  

“Reshia, whose side are you on?” Axel asked, pointing at me.  

“Huh? Me, all of a sudden?” I blinked in surprise. He nodded.  

“Yes. It seems my father and Lord Kreutz are allied. So, whose side will you choose?”  

Before I could answer, Axel extended an arm, wrapped it around my shoulder, and pulled me sharply towards him. I stumbled into his embrace, looking up to find him gazing down at me.  

“To maintain a fair balance, you should be on my side, don’t you think?”  

“Fair balance, huh…” I tilted my head and replied, “Sorry, but I prefer to side with whoever has the advantage. Winning comfortably is more my style.”  

A former black mage like me, interested in fairness? Not likely. With a mischievous scoff, I wriggled out of Axel’s grip and darted over to the Duke, grabbing hold of his arm.  

“I’m definitely on Father’s side!” I declared boldly.  

After all, in the House of Elpinard, the Duke was as good as a king. It was only natural to align myself with the person in power!  

At my proud declaration, Axel’s face scrunched up in displeasure, while the Duke’s face lit up with a satisfied smile. My little show of loyalty had evidently pleased the *king* of Elpinard. I stuck out my tongue at Axel, teasing him with a playful “Meh!” as his expression grew even more sour.