Halo stood waiting at the foot of the staircase of the main palace. "Family Head," Caron called out as he approached Halo slowly. Halo remained still, gazing quietly up the stairs. He seemed lost in thought, perhaps remembering days long past. His expression held a complex mix of emotions. "You're here," he said, finally turning around with his hands clasped behind his back. Whether it was the weight of the armor he wore or something else, there was a gravity to Halo today that wasn't always there. "My apologies for disturbing your rest," Halo added. "It's all right," Caron replied. "There's something you need to know—something important. That's why I called you so urgently. I hope you understand," Halo said. "I couldn't possibly rest while the adults are out there working," Caron said. At that moment, Halo's sons, Raphael and Dales, were busy commanding the Oceanwolf Knight Order and the forces of the ducal family, steadily bringing order back to the Imperial Palace. From what Fayle had told Caron, even the elders had joined the effort. In other words, the full force of the Ducal Family of Leston had been mobilized. Caron looked steadily at Halo and asked, "How are things progressing?" Halo gave a slow nod and answered, "There's no need to worry. Now that Duke Salmon's troops have joined us, everything should be settled before nightfall at the latest." "That's a relief," Caron said. "Did you speak with His Majesty?" Halo asked next. He was referring to the secret of the royal bloodline. Caron gave a faint smile and replied, "I did." "Then I suppose you've come to understand the truth behind the imperial family," Halo said. The truth that the blood of demons flowed in their veins. Caron nodded quietly, and Halo continued in a bitter tone, "It's one of the duties of our house. And soon, it will be yours as well." "But why must it be that way?" Caron asked honestly. If demonic blood ran through the imperial family, he wondered if it wouldn't make more sense to wipe them out entirely. They didn't have to take the risk. But Halo shook his head and said, "It's an old pact." "What kind of pact?" Caron asked. "The Karien imperial family hates demons just as much as we do," Halo continued. "They despised the blood in their own veins, but they also knew they could use that power to fulfill their long-cherished goal." Up until fifty years ago, the Orias Empire hadn't hesitated to study dark mana. Now, from Halo's lips, buried truths began to spill forth. "That goal was the will of the first emperor. To research dark mana and find a way to bring down the Demon Realm. Through that pursuit, all kinds of magic developed and flourished, and the empire rose to dominance over the continent through sheer power. But the first emperor feared that his descendants could become corrupted by the very dark mana they sought to master. So he found a safeguard," Halo explained. "And that safeguard was...?" Caron repeated. "Rael Leston, his lifelong friend, our founder," Halo answered. They were a blade pointed at the imperial family, and at the same time... "The executioner of the imperial family," Caron added. "...Indeed, Caron," Halo said. If the imperial family ever lost their way, the bloodline of the Ducal Family of Leston was to be the one to end it. They were the last line of defense. That was what Rael Leston had envisioned for his descendants. "The Malevolent Emperor inherited the demon blood more powerfully than any other in the Karien line," Halo said. "You mean... He was born a Demon King?" Caron asked. "No," Halo replied. "He awakened the power over time. I don't know exactly when it began, but when I last faced him, he had already taken the throne of a Demon King. That's why I couldn't kill him." He lowered his head and looked at his sword—Gram. Then, he raised a finger and pointed at Guillotine. "Slaying the Demon Kings... is your task," Halo said in a low, firm voice. "Our family's entire history exists for that purpose. Every ounce of our strength, every generation of our bloodline, has been to support the one who will end the Demon Kings. We will gather all our power and open the path for you, without hesitation." It was a staggering weight to place on the shoulders of a seventeen-year-old. Halo couldn't help but feel sorry for Caron. Flames shot up beyond the walls of the main palace. There was no doubt that some remnants of the Revanchists had resorted to arson as their final act of desperation, as the fire burned with traces of dark mana. Halo watched the blazing inferno for a moment before turning to Caron and saying, "I have something to ask you." The moment Halo stepped back into the palace, he had become certain. The one destined to shape the future of the Ducal Family of Leston... was Caron. And perhaps it was finally time to make a decision he had put off for far too long. "Would you be willing to become my successor?" Halo asked. The senior members had already granted their approval. If Caron agreed, the elders were ready to give him their unanimous support. This matter involved the title of the Duke of Leston. Although the rank of Grand Duke wasn't hereditary, the dukedom itself was a title that could be passed on. Caron met Halo's eyes in silence. So this was it. Halo was offering to hand over his seat—his role as head of the house. Caron had known a day would come. And he'd already decided what he would say when it did. Without hesitation, he replied, "No, thank you." It was a firm, clear rejection. "I don't want to become the head of the house," Caron added. "...Do you really mean that?" Halo asked. "I do," Caron answered. "Why is that?" Halo asked. The position of the Duke of Leston was one anyone would covet. It came with unparalleled power—and if one wished, enough authority to shake the very foundations of the empire. Even those without ambition would be tempted by such influence. "If I become the head of the family, I'll have too many responsibilities," he replied. "I don't want that. After destroying the Demon Realm, I just want to wander around the continent, go wherever I please, and not think about anything." Halo felt a strange sense of déjà vu from Caron once again. He thought he had heard something from Cain Latorre before. Once, when he'd asked Cain what he would do if he ever left knighthood behind, Cain had answered: "I want to travel the continent. That's all." Halo wondered why Caron's words sounded so much like Cain's. With a bitter smile, he raised a hand and gently placed it on Caron's shoulder, asking, "So you're turning down the title just because of that?" "That reason is more than enough for me," Caron answered. "To my ears, it sounds as if you're turning your back on the family," Halo said. "Come on, don't say that. Sure, I might get into trouble once in a while... but blood runs thicker than water, right? Besides, do you know how many businesses I've started under the name of the Ducal Family of Leston? You really think I'm going to walk away from all that? Not a chance," Caron said. Regardless of who officially succeeded Halo as head, it would be difficult to operate outside of Caron's influence. Halo smiled faintly and nodded. He thought, I expected this. If it was Caron, of course he'd refuse. He was someone who valued his freedom above all else. And to Caron, the title of Duke would feel like nothing but a cage. "I understand your decision," Halo said at last. He gave up on trying to persuade his grandson, because he already knew it would be pointless. "Whomever ends up becoming the next head, I'll do my best to support them," Caron said. "You have my word, Grandfather. I promise on my name." "That would be enough," Halo said, his voice softening. Caron could tell that Halo was going to decide to name a successor soon. After all, Halo was preparing for the war against the Demon Realm. And in times when the future was uncertain, a successor had to be chosen in advance. Because even if the head of the house was absent... Someone would still need to carry that burden in his place. Almost as if he were testing the waters, Caron asked Halo quietly, "Have you decided who the next head of the house will be...?" Halo gave a slight squeeze to Caron's shoulder and replied, "That's a secret." "That sucks," Caron said with a grin. "I was thinking maybe I should get in line early. By the way, Grandfather, could I ask you for a favor?" The word slipped from his lips naturally, replacing the more formal title of Family Head. Halo liked that. Grandfather sounded far better to him. "Go ahead and speak," Halo said. "...You know the knights who died fighting in the palace? I'd like to do something for them personally. I was wondering if that would be alright," Caron said. Caron really was a grandson full of heart. Azureocean Castle had its own official system for compensating the fallen, of course—but what he meant was a personal gesture, something beyond protocol. "It's your money. Who could possibly object? If anything, it's something I should be requesting you to do," Halo said. "Thank you," Caron said. And with that, the most important matters between them were settled. Halo let out a quiet sigh and looked back toward Caron before saying, "There's another reason I called you here. It's not just about succession. We've uncovered some information while pursuing the Revanchists." "What kind of information...?" Caron asked. "You'll understand when you see it yourself. Zerath, bring him in," Halo instructed. As Halo's waved, Commander Zerath, dragged a man forward and dropped him at their feet. The man wore the bloodied robes of a priest. His garments were soaked and torn, as if he'd been through an interrogation—or worse. He was unconscious, foam crusting at the edge of his lips. "...Who is this?" Caron asked. "This man is Archbishop Atrach. He was officially dispatched to the royal family's court by the Holy Kingdom. You could say he's one of their top diplomats," Halo explained. If he truly was an archbishop, that meant this man held at least the rank of cardinal. And if Caron remembered correctly, Atrach wasn't just anyone in the Holy Kingdom. He was a man of deep influence, with a strong power base of his own. So, Caron wondered why such a high-ranking figure had ended up here, bloodied and broken. "We got this from the Oceanwolf Knight Order stationed in the Imperial Palace," Halo said. Then, without hesitation, he stepped forward and pressed his boot down on the archbishop's chest. Grinding his teeth, he muttered, "Atrach is connected to this incident." That single sentence carried weight, and a great deal of it at that. Caron's expression darkened as he stared down at the unconscious man. He asked, "...Are you saying the Holy Kingdom is tied to the Malevolent Emperor?" "There's a strong chance they are," Halo answered. "And that brings me to another question. Back in Pajar Sultanate, when you clashed with those paladins—did you notice anything strange?" The paladins who had come to kill the Saintess... Caron recalled the ominous, unnatural aura they had radiated. It was Perverse Mana, a sickening, warped energy that felt like holy power twisted together with dark mana. "No wonder it felt unsettling," Caron muttered. Halo let out a small sigh when he saw the tension in Caron's face. He said, "It seems the Holy Kingdom is facing serious trouble of its own." "Looks like it," Caron agreed grimly. If the Holy Kingdom was involved in this affair, it likely meant something was very wrong within its walls as well. "Caron," Halo said, his voice low. "Yes, Grandfather?" Caron answered. "It seems you'll need to go to the Holy Kingdom yourself," Halo said. And just like that, Caron's next destination was decided. The Holy Kingdom was a place Caron had never visited in his previous life. Back then, the empire had permitted dark mana, which naturally made it an enemy of the Holy Kingdom. In short, for Caron, it was unfamiliar territory, an unknown land. "What are you thinking about?" Leo asked. "I'm trying to figure out who I should bring with me," Caron replied. "Bring where?" Leo asked. "To the Holy Kingdom," Caron answered. "Not me, leave me out of it," Leo said quickly. "We're bound by fate, Leo," Caron said with a smirk. "Get lost!" Leo shouted. They were in the palace of the Sixth Prince, Revelio; it was located within the Imperial Palace grounds. Leo pushed Caron away with a shudder, and Revelio, watching from nearby, gave a short chuckle. "Not a single peaceful day with you around, huh, Caron?" Revelio said. "What can I do? Grandfather gave the order, so I've got to go," Caron replied. "But you and the Holy Kingdom... don't exactly have the best history," Revelio remarked. "Let's see... Kidnapping the Saintess, killing paladins... The list's kind of long," Caron said with a shrug. "Damn. They'll burn you at the stake the moment you cross the border," Revelio said. "Adds some thrill, doesn't it? Besides, I have business there anyway," Caron said. Beatrice, one of his former subordinates in his previous life, was said to be in the Holy Kingdom. And the tomb of Rael Leston, the founding ancestor, was there too. It was a place he had always intended to visit someday. So, Caron had no real complaints. In fact, he saw Halo's assignment as a thoughtful gesture. He took a sip of the whiskey in his glass and turned quietly toward Revelio before saying, "Your Highness the Prince... or should I be calling you Crown Prince now?" Revelio had just returned from a talk with the emperor. Caron didn't know exactly what had been said, but the look on Revelio's face was telling. It was hard to read—perhaps joy, perhaps sorrow. Revelio had always been skilled at masking his emotions. "I didn't expect His Majesty to name you Crown Prince," Caron said. "He's lost his mind because he's old," Revelio muttered. "You'll need to live up to His Majesty's expectations now," Caron added. "Of course. I'll ruin everything perfectly. If you're ever in the market for the Imperial Palace, let me know. I'll give you a good deal," Revelio said. In short, Revelio had been granted the role of Crown Prince. Though he was once derided as the discarded son of the royal family, the sixth prince whom no one had taken seriously, Revelio's rise would shake the empire to its core. And with the emperor's life nearing its end, it wouldn't be long before Revelio ascended to the throne. Caron observed him in silence. Revelio ascending to the throne was entirely the will of the Ducal Family of Leston. In other words, it was Halo's choice. And Revelio knew that, too. "Revelio," Caron said, still holding his glass, "We ought to settle our accounts properly, don't you think?" "Accounts? What accounts?" Revelio asked, his eyes wide. Caron grinned brightly and replied, "I did play a pretty big part in getting you named Crown Prince, didn't I?" "Well... Yeah, I suppose..." Revelio said. "Then make sure I get something nice—just enough so I don't feel neglected," Caron said. He was shamelessly reaching out his hand. "...Can I pay you later?" Revelio replied, his voice shaking. "Of course you can, dear client. Now, where should we start? Perhaps with what's in the treasury vaults of the Imperial Palace..." Caron said. When it came to getting what he was owed, he never missed a beat. And just like that, the Mad Dog sank his teeth into the future emperor himself. That was the very moment when a shadow fell over the empire's future.