At Jaegers Headquarters.
Bols lifted his daughter high into the air with his sturdy arms, and her silver-bell laughter echoed throughout the room.
After playing around for a while, Bols looked at his wife and daughter and said,
"Kijie, Logue, it's getting late. You should head home too."
The beautiful married woman with brown hair and violet eyes nodded gently.
"Honey, you be careful too."
"Mm."
Bols handed his daughter back to his wife.
Logue waved at her father.
"Bye-bye, Daddy."
Just as Kijie was about to leave Jaegers Headquarters with Logue, the door suddenly opened.
Uesugi Ryu walked in holding a book, and happened to meet Kijie face to face.
Startled, Kijie instinctively stepped back while holding her daughter tightly.
Bols walked over to his wife and greeted Uesugi Ryu.
"Mr. Uesugi, this is my wife and daughter."
Logue immediately noticed Uesugi Ryu's eyes.
A bright smile spread across her face as she tugged on her mother's clothes.
"Mommy, look! Big Brother's eyes glow!"
Kijie subconsciously looked into Uesugi Ryu's eyes.
Her pupils contracted slightly, and her body instantly tensed.
Logue stared wide-eyed at Uesugi Ryu and praised him.
"Big Brother's eyes are so pretty. They're just like Mommy's gold necklace."
Uesugi Ryu was momentarily stunned, then a faint smile appeared on his lips.
Most people reacted to his golden eyes with either shock or fear.
Perhaps because she was a child, she simply thought they were beautiful.
A trace of panic flashed across Kijie's face as she glanced at her husband.
Uesugi Ryu's temperament was unknown, but just from his aura alone, he was clearly no ordinary man.
She was afraid Logue might offend him by saying something inappropriate.
Bols gently squeezed his wife's right hand, signaling that there was nothing to worry about.
Uesugi Ryu bent down slightly until he was at eye level with Logue.
"Really? Thank you for the compliment."
With a flick of his hand, he produced a piece of chocolate and handed it to her.
"Thank you, Onii-chan!"
Logue did not accept it immediately. Instead, she looked up at her mother.
Kijie smiled softly and nodded.
Only after receiving her mother's approval did Logue take the chocolate.
She looked at Uesugi Ryu curiously.
"That's amazing. Is it magic?"
"Something like that."
After answering her, Uesugi Ryu looked at Bols.
"Esdeath isn't here?"
Bols nodded and explained,
"The Captain took Run and Seryu-chan out to hunt Danger Beasts."
Kurome swallowed as she stared at the chocolate, then quietly said to Uesugi Ryu,
"I want some too..."
Wave looked curiously at the chocolate in Logue's hand.
"What's that? It's so dark."
Wave had grown up in a coastal village, so he genuinely did not know what chocolate was.
It was something sold only in prosperous cities, and it was rather expensive as well.
After spending some time together, Wave had already learned about Kurome's appetite.
He enthusiastically offered,
"Kurome, why not try the canned fish I brought from my hometown?"
Kurome crossed her arms in front of her chest in an X and replied firmly,
"No. It smells fishy."
Logue also noticed Kurome's gaze.
Puffing up her cheeks, she broke the chocolate in half and held one piece out.
"Big Sis, do you want some too? I'll share half with you."
Kurome froze for a moment and suddenly felt embarrassed.
She had only blurted out what she was thinking.
Now it looked like she was fighting a child over snacks.
"I have more. No need to share. Here."
Uesugi Ryu rummaged in his pocket and pulled out several chocolates, handing one to each person.
"Ah... thanks."
Wave accepted his and curiously sniffed it after unwrapping it.
Since Bols wore a mask, he did not eat his. Instead, he handed it to his wife.
The face beneath his mask was horribly scarred. Seeing it would probably ruin anyone's appetite.
Bols remarked in surprise,
"Honestly, I didn't expect you to carry something like this around, Mr. Uesugi."
Carrying snacks at all times was the sort of thing only Kurome would usually do.
Uesugi Ryu merely smiled and said nothing.
.....
"Imperial Capital, it's been a while."
After meeting with his father, Honest, Syura strolled alone through the palace.
He looked over the familiar buildings, hands clasped behind his back, and said disdainfully,
"But the palace is still as boring as ever."
Honest had summoned him back early, naturally hoping to use Wild Hunt's power to eliminate Chouri.
However, Chouri resided within the palace, which was protected by General Budo.
Assassinating him would not be easy.
But for Syura, who possessed the Teigu Shambhala, that was hardly a problem.
"Allow the great Syura to take care of these annoyances for you. But first, I'll have a little fun."
Syura looked toward a distinctive hexagonal tower in the distance, a slight grin curling his lips.
"Big Sis Esdeath's Jaegers..."
He started walking toward the unique structure.
Meanwhile, Kijie was carrying Logue as they headed outside.
Logue looked pitifully at her mother.
Seeing her daughter's obvious longing, Kijie smiled helplessly and poked her forehead.
"Logue, save it for tomorrow. Lunch is almost ready."
Her charming smile made her all the more beautiful.
Syura's eyes immediately locked onto her.
"A married woman. Exactly my type. Looks like today's my lucky day."
Licking his lips, Syura walked straight toward Kijie and blocked her path.
Seeing the ill-intentioned man before her, Kijie instantly grew tense.
"Excuse me... could you please move aside?"
Syura smugly admired the panic on her face.
He could not even be bothered with small talk.
Stepping forward, he reached out, intending to seize her and take her back for his amusement.
At that moment, a nearby guard noticed the disturbance.
He hurried over and quietly explained,
"Lord Syura, they are the family members of a Jaegers member."
Syura's face filled with impatience.
"Hah. So what? I'm the son of Minister Honest."
"It's an honor for her to catch my eye."
Then he glanced at the guard and ordered,
"Perfect timing. Grab that brat for me."
The moment she realized Syura's identity, Kijie's face turned deathly pale.
She knew exactly how terrifying that name was.
Even though Bols was a Teigu user, he was still insignificant compared to someone like Syura.
A trace of reluctance flashed across the guard's face, and he hesitated.
He was trapped between a rock and a hard place.
Sweat poured down his face.
But if he disobeyed now, Syura would surely hold a grudge.
He was one of Budo's Imperial Guards, but even with ten times the courage, he would never dare offend Syura.
At that moment, he bitterly regretted interfering at all.
Syura leaned close to Kijie and flashed a threatening smile.
"Madam, you wouldn't want your husband to lose his job, would you?"
"If I end up unhappy, forget his job. Even his life won't be safe."
Holding her daughter, Kijie trembled uncontrollably.
Her face darkened as she bit her lower lip tightly.
Logue glared at Syura and shouted in her childish voice,
"You bad guy! Stay away from Mommy!"
Syura chuckled.
"Interesting. I'll hand this little brat over to Champ later."
After giving Kijie a few seconds to think, Syura turned to the guard.
"Move. Are you planning to disobey me?"
Grinding his teeth, the guard slowly stepped toward the mother and daughter.
A crushing sense of helplessness washed over Kijie.
Her husband was less than two hundred meters away, inside the building behind her.
But her reason told her she could not call out.
If she did, the Minister would wipe out their entire family.
Lowering her head, Kijie gently rubbed her cheek against her daughter's.
Tears shimmered in her beautiful violet eyes.
Her voice trembled, and her full chest rose and fell with ragged breaths.
"Logue... be good. It's... okay. Mommy will only be gone for a little while..."
She loosened her embrace and handed her daughter over to the approaching guard.
"Mommy!"
The guard immediately let out a huge sigh of relief as he took the struggling little girl.
He had heard of Syura's reputation and had no desire to become his accomplice.
Throughout the entire ordeal, he kept his head lowered, not daring to look Kijie in the eye.
He was afraid that if he did, his conscience might overwhelm him.
"See? That wasn't so hard. You're quite sensible after all. Hahahaha!"
Syura laughed arrogantly, the X-shaped scar on his face writhing.
Logue's desperate screams rang out.
The guard clenched his jaw.
There was nothing he could do except pray that General Budo would arrive soon.
Whether Budo would intervene, however, was another matter entirely.
"Someone, anyone, please step in and stop this..."