“Report, Your Highness—the Sprite has entered the city.” His words dropped like a pebble into still water, rippling across the hall to the man on the jewel-bright throne, an Emperor in poise.

“Your Highness, how about I take [Iron Lotus] to ‘negotiate’?” said a stunning woman in shorts, her golden ponytail snapping like a sunlit whip, her smile edged like steel.

“No rush. Father taught me—if a tongue can cut, don’t raise a hand.” His skin was porcelain-pale, fingers like carved jade. He looked twenty-three at most, with golden waves of hair and a face handsome as dawn.

At a glance, he wore the air of princes and dukes. Yet in his light-yellow eyes a faint tremor flickered, like a candle in a draft.

“But… Your Highness, the blood coin’s already out. The arrow’s flown; we can’t pull it back.” The image of Herbert’s severed finger throbbed in every mind, a dark bruise under the light.

The golden-pony woman sneered at Herbert, her words a lash. “Hmph. You stir up trouble, then toss out a blood coin every time? That woman should’ve skewered you with one stroke, like winter lightning.”

“What did you say, Cecilia!” Herbert’s glare burned like coal, yet he didn’t dare let the fire leap.

The man on the throne spoke, his voice cool as spring water. “You did handle this poorly. Did you threaten her?”

“I… I just…” Shame iced Herbert’s tongue. He hadn’t only threatened Medith; he’d spat insults too, frost on a blade.

“Your Highness, we don’t need to turn her into a mortal enemy over a trifle.” The voice came from a crew-cut man by the throne, eyes deep as starfields. His dusky face wasn’t handsome, but it held a quiet pull, like dusk before the lamps.

“She’s got teeth. Even the legendary [Heavenbane Brothers], gods with troops by rumor, were routed by her—no doubt about her steel. And behind her stands Eunomia, a giant that still shakes the ground. Even at twilight, the Eastern Nation casts a long shadow; a fading sun still sets the clouds ablaze. If you ask me, she’s angling for contact and thawing the ice; otherwise she wouldn’t have slipped into the city. She’d have marched in under banners and let her drums do the talking.”

“Small matter? My hand was—”

“Herbert, you reaped what you sowed.” The throne-man’s displeasure pressed like storm-weight. “You know Medith’s temper and still prodded her. When she arrived, she ran into the Southern Kingdom’s Duke, Bloodhand Andrew’s men. The Southern Kingdom’s name is loud enough, right? It still couldn’t cage her. She took the leader’s head with one clean stroke, like a falcon diving. Days have passed—have you seen Andrew make a single move?”

“I…” Herbert’s shoulders sagged, unwilling fire guttering to ash.

“However.” His tone turned, crisp as a blade angled to light. “You didn’t miss one thing. The blood coin’s out. Until blood answers blood, it can’t be reeled back. I have a plan. No one acts rashly. Wait for her to come to me.”

“By your order, Your Highness.” The five men and women on the dais answered in unison, lion tattoos on their arms glaring like predators through tall grass.

[Eastern Nation]

“Father. Mother. Of course you’re out here watching the stars.” Elyu shed his regal robe like autumn leaves and pulled on plain clothes, earth-toned and quiet, as he stepped into Ostos’s palace.

“Elyu!” Penero swept him into her arms, love warm as a summer tide.

He gently eased back, then brushed his mother’s beautiful face, where the first soft lines had bloomed like fine cracks in porcelain. “You… you’ve aged.”

“Ah?! Where—where?” Penero yanked out a tiny mirror, peering left and right as if chasing fireflies.

“Ah! It’s real—damn it. Darling, why didn’t you tell me?” Her words snapped toward Ostos, a sparrow turning hawk in a beat.

Ostos spread his hands, all innocence, like clear sky after rain. “My lady, you shine too bright. I can’t see the lines through your light. In my eyes, you’re forever a face in full bloom.”

“Darling… you…”

“Hahaha. You two are as sweet as ever.” Elyu’s smile rose, warm as dawn on rooftops.

Ostos laughed with him, then paused, a thought tapping like a moth at the window. “Where’s Paris?”

“He… he’s busy. He runs all over, like a courier wind. I only just took the crown; plenty of places still need ‘tidying.’ I shouldn’t go out, so big brother handles the rounds. Sometimes I wonder if this crown’s a toy.” Elyu chuckled, the sound light as falling petals.

Penero’s laughter flowed, graceful as a willow in breeze. “Darling, Elyu, since you two are warming again, why keep it from him? Tell him sooner about transferring the crown. Save him from nursing thorns in his heart.”

Ostos laughed. “I think this way’s fine. Elyu, what do you say?”

“Hahaha… I’m happy. I wear the crown, big brother handles the chores, and we still have the five Royal Guardians you left me. Why not enjoy the moon and eat the peaches?”

So the three stood on the rooftop, eyes on endless stars. Their words wandered like a night river, and the long night turned gentle.