──────・・・・・・ “I think… she deliberately chose not to write anything about Doriana.” Angela murmured softly, eyes briefly lowered. After the tearful young girl had been gently led out of the room, a heavy silence remained among the royal family. Then Samuel spoke up. “Even if she had pleaded for her daughter’s life, the family of…

I can tell when my time is near. I’m going to die soon. And the proof is in what I remember—the memories coming back.The warmth of my mother when I was a child.The laughter as I played with my siblings.The flicker of the fireplace in the room, the swaying trees beyond the window. And, unforgettable—That…

Seven days had passed since the assembly of the Noble Council. In a chamber of the castle of Dias, a girl sat. She couldn’t stop trembling. The anxiety churned in her body, so intense she felt nauseous, barely holding it back. Perched on the bedding, the girl sat motionless, frozen in fear. The maids around…

──────・・・・・・ Sunlight faintly filtering in through the window fell across his eyes, and Asher winced at the brightness. “…Nn…” Turning his head away from the light, he blinked repeatedly into the blurry view. “…………” He saw the familiar canopy of his bed and stared at it vacantly for a moment—then his eyes widened in surprise.…

──────・・・・・・ His real mother had died the moment he was born. Because of that, Samuel, who had never known his mother and had been raised from an early age as the Crown Prince, regarded Lady Geoffrey, the mother of his younger brother Hugo, as his mother. Generally, memories from early childhood become vague and fade…

────……。 Muffled voices could be heard nearby. Asher’s mind was hazy. He couldn’t move his body or open his eyes, so he couldn’t tell whether he had woken from sleep or was still in a dream. How long had it been since he had fallen asleep? Amidst this, the contents of the conversation gradually became…

Asher couldn’t tell what was happening around him, but he sensed in an instant that the air from Samuel’s direction had grown tense and sharp. In that atmosphere, Lord Geoffrey continued. “…Pardon me, but I have spent many years by Prince Samuel’s side since he was young, along with Hugo. I know… how much Prince…

──────・・・・・・ A pitch-dark space. There was nothing. Yet, it somehow looked familiar. Asher looked around fearfully, but only darkness spread around. A chill ran through him. He didn’t want to be alone in such a place. He tried to shout. However, no matter how many times he tried to call Theodore’s name, no voice came…

Asher was startled to find the Beast Soldiers and Black Knights surrounding them—but the one at the centre of it all, Duchess Veil, remained perfectly composed. “…Your Majesty, Queen… what is the meaning of this?” “Maderina… there’s no use feigning ignorance. Prince Samuel has gathered all the evidence. Testimonies from the beastmen your enterprise hired—orphans…

As the nobles erupted in an uproar, they sprang to their feet, shouting angrily. “Asher Prince, you say!?”“Why is a royal seal on that letter!?”“Are they trying to shift blame onto us nobles!?”“What is the meaning of this!?” Thump, thump—Asher’s heartbeat roared in his ears. He stared intently at the letter bearing a seal he…