"So?"

"So what?"

"When are you going to introduce your 'friend' to me?"

I choked on air.

"Mother…!"

"Ok~ Ok, I won't tease you anymore," she said, chuckling behind her hand. "Well~ I never knew you could make such an expression. It's adorable."

I groaned, rubbing my face. I needed to steer this conversation away from my love life before she started planning the wedding venue.

"Anyways, Mother," I asked, regaining my composure. "Why have you visited the capital so suddenly? You usually hate leaving the estate during this season."

"Oh~ It's not something important," she said, waving a fork casually. "It's the opening ceremony of the new theme park, CrystalVale. Countess Seliora Belmont is a close friend of mine. So naturally, I was invited as a VIP guest."

I froze.

'Right. The guest list.'

I had read it in the newspaper, but hearing it from her mouth made the danger real. She wasn't just visiting; she was going to be right in the crosshairs of Infernus.

"Oh~ You're going there too?" I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Me too? Are you going too?" Lyriana looked surprised, her eyes widening. "I never took you for joining such events. You always hated these types of crowded, noisy places. You used to call them 'gatherings of commoner sweat.'"

I winced. Old Lucien really was a piece of work.

"People change," I muttered.

"Well, either way, it's good!" She clapped her hands together. "Accompany your mother then. We can sit in the VIP box, drink tea, and ignore the noise."

"Ahmm… Mother," I hesitated, looking away. "I already have plans with someone else."

Silence.

"What…?!"

She gasped, clutching her chest as if I had physically stabbed her.

"Has someone else become more important to my son than his own mother?!"

'Sigh~'

I sighed inwardly. Why are all mothers so dramatic? She is no different from my mother on Earth—turning a scheduling conflict into a Greek tragedy.

"Mother… it's not like that," I said, trying to soothe her. "It's just that the plan has been made prior, and I can't go back on my word. A noble keeps his promises, right?"

She narrowed her eyes, dropping the dramatic act instantly. She wasn't in the mood for my logic.

"It's that Ariana girl, isn't it?"

I paused for a second. There was no point in lying.

"…Yes."

At that, her expression melted into a beaming smile.

"Well, it's fine then! If it's for love, a mother can step aside."

"It's not lo—"

"But you better introduce her to me there," she pointed a finger at me. "Find me in the VIP section. I want to see this girl who stole my son away."

"Ok," I agreed. 'If the VIP section isn't blown up by then, sure.'

We chatted for a little while longer—mostly her updating me on the estate (Mostly how the attacks near the borders have become frequent, the monsters population has been increasing, etc —before she stood up.

"I should go. I'm staying at the Capital Estate tonight. I need to prepare my dress for Sunday."

She hugged me one last time, tighter than before, and swept out of the house like a queen leaving her court.

As soon as the door closed and the carriages rolled away, the silence in the hallway was shattered.

"Boss!"

"Master!"

Lily and Alicia popped out from the kitchen like meerkats.

"Was that really the Countess?!" Lily squeaked, looking terrified. "Did she like the food? Did I use enough salt? She didn't look angry, right?"

"She loved it," I assured her. "She asked for your name specifically."

Lily looked like she might faint from happiness.

"And Master," Alicia added, eyes shining. "She seems… nice. Intense, but nice."

"She's a handful," I muttered, unbuttoning my collar. "I'm going to my room. I have a long week ahead of me."

I left them celebrating in the hallway and climbed the stairs.

****

[Sunday Morning – D-Day]

The morning sun rose over the capital, bright and mocking.

It was a perfect day. The sky was a piercing blue, the birds were singing, and the air was crisp. The kind of day that begged for ice cream and laughter.

Or a massacre.

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my tie.

I wasn't wearing my academy uniform today. I wore a casual but sharp suit—dark grey vest, white shirt, rolled sleeves. I looked like a regular noble son going on a date.

Except for the heavy weight under my arm.

The holster for the revolver was hidden beneath the vest. The Benelli M4 shotgun was stored in my inventory, along with enough high-explosive ammo to level a city block.

***

I checked my reflection one last time.

"Status Window."

[Points: 2,800]

I had enough for emergencies.

I took a deep breath, smoothing my hair back.

Today, CrystalVale opens. Today, Infernus attacks.

Today, my mother, Ariana, and thousands of civilians are targets.

"Let's go," I whispered to the reflection.

*****

[Market Square]

The square was bustling with weekend energy, but I didn't see any of it.

I only saw her.

Standing near the central fountain, shielding her eyes from the sun with a delicate hand, was Ariana.

And my god… I was literally entranced.

She was wearing a dress of pale lavender silk that flowed around her like water, cinched at the waist with a silver ribbon. The neckline was modest but elegant, highlighting her slender neck and collarbones. Her silver hair, usually left loose to hide her face, was braided intricately today, woven with small white flowers that matched the lace of her gloves.

She looked ethereal. Like a spirit of the moon who had wandered into the daylight.

She was shining in the crowd, a beacon of purity amidst the noise and dust of the city.

I stood there, frozen, my brain momentarily forgetting about terrorists, demons, and impending doom.

Poke.

A sharp elbow dug into my ribs.

"Boss!!"

"Ahm~ Ah, yes," I stumbled, blinking rapidly as I came back to my senses.

I looked down. Alicia was standing beside me, dressed in her maid uniform but looking very much like she wanted to roll her eyes.

"Close your mouth, Boss," she teased, a smirk playing on her lips. "Your drool was almost coming out. It's unsightly."

"Shut up," I muttered, straightening my jacket.

"You're the one who dragged me along," she whispered back. "If you're going to gawk, do it while walking."

Yes, I had Alicia tag along. Ostensibly as a chaperone/maid, but in reality, she needed real-life battle experience against human opponents. Monsters were one thing; fanatics with daggers were another.

"Ahmm~~"

I cleared my throat loudly, shaking off the daze, and walked toward the fountain.

Ariana was still looking around, her expression anxious, searching the crowd for me. Behind her stood Lena—shadowy, professional, and radiating the aura of a bodyguard who wished she could stab everyone within a five-meter radius.

Nearing them, I called out softly.

"Ariana~ Here."

Her head snapped toward me. When her violet eyes met mine, her anxious expression melted instantly into a beaming smile.

"Lucien!"

She took a step forward, then stopped, suddenly remembering her manners. She smoothed her skirt nervously.

"Y-You're here."

"I am," I said, stopping in front of her. I looked her up and down, this time letting my appreciation show openly. "You look… incredible, Ariana. That dress suits you perfectly."

Her face turned a brilliant shade of pink. She ducked her head, fiddling with her ribbon.

"T-Thank you… My father sent it. I… I wasn't sure if it was too much…"

" It's not too much," I said softly. "You're the most beautiful girl in the city today."

"L-Lucien!" she squeaked, covering her burning cheeks.

Behind her, Lena rolled her eyes toward the heavens, and behind me, Alicia let out a quiet snort. The maids seemed to be bonding over our awkwardness.

"Shall we go?" I offered my arm.

Ariana hesitated for a split second, then reached out and wrapped her hand around my arm. Her grip was tight.

"Yes… let's go."

****

[The Entertainment District – CrystalVale Entrance]

If the capital was impressive, CrystalVale was a monument to excess.

It was huge.

Spanning an area the size of four academy grounds, the park was enclosed by towering walls of white marble and transparent crystal.

Inside, mana-powered airships drifted lazily in the sky. Massive ferris wheels spun with glowing runes, and roller coasters wove through artificial mountains like metallic serpents. It was a fusion of magic and engineering that screamed wealth.

Outside the main gates, the scene was just as intimidating.

Lines and lines of extravagant carriages stretched down the boulevard—gold trim, velvet curtains, family crests of every major house in the Empire.

Knights from dozens of different noble families were stationed in the plaza outside the gates, forming a sea of steel armor and colorful capes.

"There are so many knights…" Ariana whispered, awed.

"Yes," I said, my eyes scanning the perimeter. "But notice where they are standing."

"Outside?"

"Exactly."

Since today was the Grand Opening Ceremony, only nobles, wealthy merchants, and influential figures were invited. It wasn't open to the public yet.

To maintain the atmosphere of a "peaceful celebration" and to prevent friction between rival noble houses, a strict rule had been enforced:

No escorts inside.

No weapons inside.

Even the personal knights of Ducal houses were forced to wait in the outer plaza. The security inside was handled solely by the CrystalVale private security and a token force of ceremonial guards.

I stared at the gates.

'That is the fatal flaw.'

It resulted in disaster.

Because no knights were allowed inside, the hundreds of nobles and merchants gathered within—people who held the economic and political power of the Empire—were about to become meat on a chopping board.

Most of the guests were noble ladies, children, or soft-handed merchants. People who had never held a sword in their lives. Without their knights, they were helpless lambs waiting for the slaughter.

And Infernus knew it.

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