Night had fallen.

  "Princess Nora, Your Highness."

  Hm?

  Nora Ophilis lifted her gaze from the private little zone she’d made for herself in her beloved notebook. She’d been jotting down topics and questions—an entire list—to discuss with Prince Fury the next time they met. But the arrival of a royal guard interrupted her train of thought.

  She closed the notebook, slid it under the table, and dimmed the lamp.

  "What is it?"

  "Her Majesty the Empress wishes to speak with you in private, Your Highness."

  Nora could not refuse.

  When she entered her mother’s bedchamber, the Empress was standing at the window, gazing out at the warm-region night sky lit by a full moon.

  Once the guard withdrew, it was just the two of them.

  "Mother."

  Nora bowed as always, her voice calm and formal.

  "What business do you have with me?"

  "From now on, I want you to remain in your quarters. Don’t wander about at night anymore."

  !

  Even though Nora had slain Iskaryx and won her freedom, the Empress showed no hint of guilt—no apology in her voice, no change in demeanor. Nothing.

  Everything was as it had been. But that didn’t mean she hadn’t thought about it. The words Nora had hurled at her that day still replayed in the Empress’s mind.

  What she was showing now was concern—in her own way.

  A servant had probably reported her movements. Nora had expected it. They might know she’d gone out, but not where.

  "You have no authority to command me."

  "I’m not commanding you."

  But it was still an expression of desire.

  From now on, I want you to remain in your quarters.

  !

  "Prince Fury may truly be taken with you… or he may simply wish to block anyone who could become the second Casca Saint Maximin. We don’t know. We can’t know. But from their point of view, it would be a nightmare if there were a second, third, or fourth Maximin in this world. So if you care for Snowhaven’s best interests, you will do as I advise. We cannot afford to lose our future leader."

  She raised her hand—a signal.

  "Go."

  Nora closed the chamber door slowly, fading into the corridor.

  Now she understood.

  She understood what Fury had meant.

  Both she and her mother were victims of the same cycle.

  At its core, the intent was pure—but the way it was expressed clouded it.

  Nora might still resent her, but Fury had pulled her out far enough to see the truth of the person—to understand, this is who she is, this is where she comes from, this is her reality.

  Her resentment had almost completely melted away.

  It was like a scientist discovering a new plant species, like a naturalist studying a rainbow until its nature was utterly clear.

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  Nora saw her mother from a new angle—without bias, without the mask of a daughter’s role.

  An objective angle.

  She couldn’t change her mother, but she could change the way she understood her.

  In the hotel’s central garden, secured under the highest guard, Princess Nora sat alone amid a manicured hedge maze. The fountains had been shut off for winter; snowflakes dusted the bushes in delicate white. The air was crisp and cool. Nora sat in quiet thought.

  Then—

  "Hey! Stop! You can’t come in here! This is royal property—get out!"

  Nora heard a guard shouting from behind her.

  "No entry without royal invitation!"

  "Come on, man~ give me a break!"

  "Get out!"

  "Mr. Randy, let’s just go back."

  "Yeah, leave!"

  "Princess Noooraa~~ are you here?!"

  "You lizard-faced brat! That’s it! I’m arresting you!"

  "What’s going on?"

  Nora stepped to the garden’s edge—and froze.

  Five gate guards were squaring off, ready to use force against a tall, blue-eyed man in a black suit.

  Mr. Everton?! Mr. Galatasaray?!

  "Oh! Princess! You did come to see me! Perfect timing!"

  "Your Highness, step back. This man claims to know you personally. Must be crazy!"

  "I’m not crazy! Ask her! Princess! Remember me? I’m Randy! We met in the Artheris territory!"

  Everton’s human guise—

  Randy Moss.

  "And I’m… oh, you’re Moss."

  "Yeah! I told you I’d drop by to visit you here, remember?"

  "...Right. I completely forgot."

  She stepped up to the gate; the guards’ hostility eased slightly.

  "As long as you remember me, I’m happy~ Want me to introduce myself to your men again?"

  She looked at the guards, then back to Everton.

  "Go ahead."

  He released the bars, put his hands forward, and bowed like a courtier.

  "I’m just a humble businessman from Zentinel—Randy Moss, but you can call me Randy. And this is my secretary, Gala."

  Galatasaray’s human guise—

  Gala.

  Galatasaray gave Nora a look that all but said, I didn’t choose this name.

  Nora waved to the guards.

  "Let them in."

  "But Your Highness—"

  "They’re trustworthy. They’ll stay nearby."

  "...Very well."

  The gate opened just enough for Everton and Galatasaray to slip through.

  "Thanks."

  The guards walked off but kept glancing back. Everton waved them off with infuriating cheek.

  "Mr. Everton… I thought you’d already gone back to your ship."

  "I’ve been touring the human city for days now."

  He rubbed his hands together.

  "I’m excited."

  "Excited? About what?" Nora followed him.

  "Because I’m about to pour Diablo’s money into the human world."

  Through the DIF—Diablo Investment Fund, partly.

  "But I’m also going to make use of Randy Moss."

  "Seriously?"

  "Of course. This is what this form’s for."

  Randy Moss, mysterious businessman.

  Gala cleared her throat.

  "Yeah, yeah, I know."

  Randy turned back.

  "I’m here because my brother asked me to be."

  "Mr. Fury asked you for what?"

  "To answer your questions."

  !

  Nora stopped short.

  "He says you take a lot of notes."

  …Mr. Fury?

  Everton folded his arms, leaning back as he stared at her.

  She opened her notebook.

  "So? Ask me anything."

  "Honestly, Mr. Everton, I don’t have much left. I’ve realized how complicated negotiations really are."

  "This is how we work."

  He grinned.

  "My job is to get as much as possible for Diablo. That’s my work, heh."

  "But did it really have to start with a monopoly with Snowhaven?"

  "The true purpose of the talks is top secret. I can’t tell you."

  "So the monopoly isn’t the real goal?"

  "Not telling."

  "Then what can I even ask you?"

  "If you’ve got nothing, don’t ask. I’m only here because my brother begged me."

  Gala: "He was threatened with harm if he didn’t."

  "Hey, hush."

  "And President Fofana? You brought her in first… I thought it’d be Snowhaven."

  "We’ve been in touch for a while."

  "But you saw it, right?"

  "I did."

  She nodded.

  "At the UN, she acted like she wanted nothing to do with you, but behind the scenes she opens her ports and joins in the monopoly—honestly, she’s infuriating."

  "Think that in private if you want, but when you’re at the table, leave your feelings outside. You might get more for Snowhaven that way than going in sulky."

  "That’s impossible."

  "It’s possible. Look at Fofana."

  !

  "That’s a good leader," Everton said.

  "You think she’s irritating because you’re wearing Snowhaven’s hat. Try on Mathema’s—your view changes instantly. From their citizens’ perspective, she could erase their debt overnight."

  "That’s true…"

  "And she still took a 20% cut from us. Not bad. Even your mother was annoyed."

  "But you agreed to it."

  "You know why?"

  "Why, Mr. Everton?"

  "Because she’s only got one term left. She’s forced to think short-term—she wants to leave a complete legend before stepping down. The razor-thin interest I offered is just a short-term deal. In the long run, it’s pouring Diablo’s money into the human world to take their valuable resources back home. See?"

  !

  "Nothing free comes without strings."

  Everton clasped his hands behind his back, smiling.

  "Once Diablo becomes a major investor, our power will grow because we’re the ones funding and supplying you. Maybe not today, but in five, ten, twenty years, my vision will be reality. I’ll see Diablo citizens walking these streets as normal—maybe in human guise so you can’t even tell. I’m already thinking about a human-modification registry."

  "But Mr. Fury just told the press… wait—he didn’t deny it…"

  "Exactly."

  Everton smirked.

  "See, Princess? My brother’s not some noble hero."

  He leaned in, gripping her shoulders, face close.

  "Stop listening to him—you might be getting played. Think about it: why would a future king resort to tricks? No dignity at all. I feel bad for you. With a relationship like that, Snowhaven will be a vassal state in his reign."

  "Nice try, Mr. Everton, but I’m not falling for it."

  She caught herself before she could be swayed and pushed him back.

  "If Mr. Fury were like you, he wouldn’t have risked being eaten by that dragon to save me."

  "…Wait—did you just insult me?!"

  Everton scowled; Gala smiled faintly and looked away.

  "I know Mr. Fury’s sincerity is genuine. We may wear many hats, but I believe this relationship will someday bear fruit for both of us."

  "Even the refining machine?"

  "No matter how close we get, you won’t see that."

  "What if my brother asks?"

  "He wouldn’t."

  "He might."

  "I know he wouldn’t. He’d understand."

  "You trust too easily, Princess~"

  "Don’t worry. With you, Mr. Everton, I’m not so quick to trust."

  Gala: "Ooh!"

  "Gala, shut your mouth, you repulsive butterfly."