"Aya, are you still alive?" Tiran, who had been curled up reading a novel between two long pillows on the fur-covered cushion in the corner of the room, set down his book when he saw Aya, who was sitting on the floor in deep thought with her knees hugged close to her chest, now a pale shadow of herself, lightly poking him with her finger.

"Not good, feeling betrayed," Aya said expressionlessly, her eyes empty.

Vivian, now in her nightgown after a shower, sat on the edge of the bed, feeling a bit embarrassed as she nervously touched the back of her head, then clasped her hands together in a rare and serious manner to apologize to Aya, "I'm sorry I'm sorry, I really didn't know Aya had thought about all this..."

Thinking so much is the main point, isn't it? Aya wasn't angry, just feeling embarrassed for impulsively trying to surprise Tiran and Vivian on her own, only to realize Vivian had not even considered it and had unwittingly exposed her plans... the clown was none other than herself.

"Aya's idea of giving me a surprise isn't bad, there's no need to be embarrassed," Tiran whispered softly in Aya's ear as he wrapped his arms around his neck from behind.

"Let me be alone for a while..."

Huh, is it completely useless?

"Well, in that case, why don't you personally give me a surprise? After all, it's my birthday, it's normal for you to do something, right?"

After a moment's thought, Tiran raised a finger.

Oh, you can do it like this. Aya blinked.

"No problem, leave it to me! It will definitely be a gift that leaves a lasting impression on you!"

"Although your way of cheering up is a bit strange... I can't help but take you, Tiran sighed, then smiled brightly, "I'll look forward to it."

A crisp knock came from outside the door.

"Prince Tiran, Princess Vivian, and Lord Aya."

Entering was a familiar face, although it was already late at night, Shuma seemed not to have any intention of resting, dressed in the uniform of a Holy Knight with a long sword hanging at his waist, ready to draw and fight at any moment.

Upon returning to the castle with wine from a trip to the Ophelin Mountains as requested by Vivian, she also received an invitation to Tiran's birthday party. Although she tried to politely decline due to her duties in the shadows, Vivian sent an urgent letter that pressured Shuma to take a full month off from Granzon's side.

After all, she was the Queen... and the losses of the Shadows in the war were not substantial; missing one person was not a big issue.

"Tsk tsk tsk, the nauseating face of the privileged class."

"On this matter, Little Tiran, you are also a member of the privileged class~ As a beneficiary, just shut up and enjoy it properly, don’t play both sides."

"Yeah, I know, so I'm just venting, but I can't change this fact. In this regard, I actually support the big brother, although it's not the time but someday in the future, the Ente Isla Alliance will definitely be realized."

"Little Tiran, you're starting to speak in incomprehensible words again for Mama..."

After exchanging a few words with her mother, the two of them shared a knowing look and turned their heads to Shuma.

"Is there something you need, Shuma?"

"Uh..."

As a lady knight who hadn't seen much of the dynamic between a mother and daughter as Queen's trusted aide, Shuma felt a bit at a loss, wanting to comment but not finding the right words.

Aya walked up to her side and patted her shoulder heavily, "It's okay, you'll get used to it."

Of course, Shuma didn't show up at this time to watch the mother and daughter argue.

"Intruder?"

Five minutes later, on the outer walls of Gilliast.

The fixed torches on the wall were still a bit dim, so Aya simply raised her hand to cast a large illumination spell, and the hovering light ball instantly illuminated that section of the wall as bright as day.

"Last night, the guards intercepted and expelled an intruder, though the encounter was brief, I think it's worth noting."

Shuma carefully observed the footprints on the ground and then turned to address the three of them.

Though on vacation, Vivian had forcefully stayed behind using her privileges, and Shuma felt uneasy if he didn't do something about it. Hearing about the nighttime intrusion incident, he decided to inspect the wall.

Although the castle guards were elite knights, they were still soldiers and not members of the Shadows, so they might overlook some details.

However, before the inspection, Shuma thought that the intruder was likely just a common thief with poor judgment, but to his surprise, he unearthed some unusual clues.

"Um, having an intruder is something to be concerned about, but even if they were here for Miss Tiran, if it's an ordinary enemy, they wouldn't pose a threat, and if it's a Holy Rank opponent, even being on alert wouldn't be meaningful."

Aya shrugged.

"Perhaps, but I still believe we need to remain cautious," Shuma said seriously. "Based on the description provided by the guards who encountered the intruder directly last night, his skills were excellent, his movements were swift and clean, and even in their short exchange, they confirmed that the intruder's speed, strength, and martial arts were superior to elite knights."

"And then—"

Taking a few steps forward, Shuma arrived at a spot on the battlement marked with a cross. "This is where the intruder left the wall. The height from the wall to the ground is ten meters. It would be impossible to land safely only by relying on physical maneuvers to cushion the fall, yet the intruder jumped directly down."

"Could it be Chi? Or a Magic user?"

Slightly influenced by Shuma's demeanor, Tiran started listening attentively.

"At the very least, they possess considerable skill, which corroborates the initial estimation."

Nodding, Shuma finally bent down.

"Lastly, here is a crucial clue. Although most footprints were not left due to the guards' lack of attention and the difficulty of leaving marks on the bricks, we managed to find a residue that was barely identifiable."

As she said that, there were faint, muddy marks on two bricks, likely from the dirt stuck on the intruder's shoes as they traversed the forest.

"Your Highnesses, although it's quite faint, I recognize the anti-slip pattern on the sole of these shoes as commonly used in Holy Knight standard equipment."

"Holy knight?"

Tiran raised an eyebrow, instantly recalling the experience of being deceived by that old cunning Heinrich in the capital.

"In this scenario, it may be necessary to negotiate with the Holy See. His Majesty Granzon has already transmitted the message through the Shadows' intelligence network, and the Cardinal in red from the Holy See is secretly visiting the capital, which could prove advantageous for His Majesty in negotiations."

Shuma stood at attention and gave Vivian a knightly salute.