Lyanna slowly swept her gaze around the room. The Duke's private study looked dense and busy despite its current silence. Rows of books were packed tightly along the wall shelves, several of them clearly well used, marked by creased pages and worn bookmarks. Stacks of documents, report sheets, and blank parchments were mixed with administrative tools, scattered across the wooden desk and the corners of the shelves without any clear order.
Pale white light from the northern sky slipped through the large glass window behind the wooden throne. That dim glow fell directly onto the back of the chair where the ruler of the North sat, casting a long shadow that emphasized her presence.
Lyanna studied her friend with undisguised interest. She pulled a nearby chair closer, sliding it forward with a soft sound, then positioned it directly in front of the solid wooden desk that stood between them. Elisvaria followed the movement by leaning back calmly against the backrest of the wooden chair passed down through the Velmora ducal family, her posture upright and dignified.
"Anna. What are the results of the inspection in Velmorath City?"
Lyanna let out a light breath before fully sitting down. Her body looked weary, as if the exhaustion of a long journey had finally caught up to her. Both hands rested on the desk, one of them supporting her jaw as she propped up her heavy head.
"Everything went smoothly, except for one thing. I managed to uncover a major issue that had been tightly concealed in that city for years."
"Report the core issue first. You can submit the full report later."
"Wait a moment, Vara."
Lyanna reached into the bag placed beside her chair and pulled out several sheets of documents. The papers changed hands, and the moment Elisvaria began reading them, her brows knit sharply. Her eyes moved quickly from one line to the next, growing tenser with every page.
"The scale of the corruption is massive."
The quiet murmur slipped out before she realized it.
"Read the next sheet. The estimated total amount of embezzled funds is written there."
Elisvaria turned the page.
"Five hundred thousand gold coins? This is insane! Did he loot all the stimulus funds given over the years? And as if that were not enough, he even drained the income of the city's residents? This number makes no sense at all, Anna!"
"I was shocked as well. During the half month of inspection, I cross checked many old records. City budgets, central stimulus funds, taxes, and even official aid from the nobility. Everything points to a single pattern. The reports he submitted were completely opposite to actual spending on public interests and the welfare of Velmorath's citizens."
Lyanna paused. She massaged her temples, clear irritation etched across her face, before continuing.
"However, the biggest problem is not just that."
Elisvaria lifted her head. Confusion mixed with anger was plainly visible. That brief report alone was already enough to make her blood boil, and now there was something even worse.
"Don't joke around. What could possibly be bigger than a corruption scandal in Velmorath?"
Lyanna's expression grew complicated, as if the next words were even heavier to speak.
"Prince Albert and the Crown Prince are involved. Our intelligence unit cross referenced old documents and discovered that the flow of funds leads directly to the capital."
"Are you certain about this finding, Anna?"
"Yes. Even though they used severed channels and disguised the recipients through third parties, over the past few years intelligence has tracked consistent one way movement connected to those two. They visited Velmorath repeatedly under various pretexts. You know it yourself, Vara. Over the last year, Prince Albert has come to the North far too often, using excuses that barely make sense."
"I will review the full report later. Condense it further for now."
"I will carry it out immediately."
"Take this."
A small box flew toward the Duke and was caught cleanly in midair.
"What is inside this box?"
"See for yourself."
After a brief nod, Elisvaria opened the box. Dozens of letters and coded messages were neatly arranged inside. A single glance was enough for her to understand that they were secret communications belonging to someone highly influential.
"Have you already deciphered these codes?"
"Yes. I will include them with the full report. The core content of these letters consists of coordinates for the transport routes of embezzled gold and illegal goods heading toward the capital."
"What about the intelligence reports within the capital itself?"
"As expected. Those two men are indeed involved."
Elisvaria rose from her seat. Her thoughts churned, mixing anger, calculation, and a long buried disappointment. She walked slowly toward the large glass window, looking down as she observed the soldiers and knights moving into position, each carrying out their assigned duties across the mansion grounds.
The words left her lips softly, yet clearly enough to be heard.
"The Crown Prince. He is far more difficult to deal with than Albert. I still cannot comprehend why that man remains so greedy when the throne is already right before his eyes."
Lyanna remained silent, allowing her friend to pour out her thoughts.
"The rulers in the capital are never satisfied until the northern territories are completely crippled. I have restrained my long standing resentment so it would not damage my rule, yet they continue to cross the line more frequently."
Elisvaria turned around. Her crimson eyes locked onto Lyanna, her displeasure undisguised, the hatred toward the central government radiating openly.
"What about the Emperor?"
"His Majesty is not directly involved, but it is highly likely that he knows of his sons' actions and allows them to continue."
"That decrepit old man. He knows everything, without a doubt."
Lyanna flinched. She instinctively glanced around, making sure those dangerous words were heard by no one else. Such a statement was far too risky, no matter how great her friend's authority was.
Elisvaria returned to the desk and took her seat once more. Her fingers tapped against the wooden surface in a steady rhythm, a sign that her mind was already assembling its next move.
"And the city lord?"
"He escaped. Forgive me, Vara. It was my carelessness for not capturing him earlier."
"Forget it. I am simply glad you returned safely and brought results worth having. Were there any other issues in Velmorath?"
"Ah, yes. Wild beasts and monsters have been attacking the main route leading to Velmoria. Numerous casualty reports from civilians and merchants have already reached the local authorities."
"And those reports were ignored?"
"Exactly."
Lyanna shifted her chair, moving closer until she sat right beside Elisvaria. Without warning, she grabbed her friend's arm. A sharp jolt ran through the Duke's body, and a piercing glare was immediately directed at her.
"What are you doing?"
Lyanna's eyes narrowed mischievously. Ever since arriving at the residence, one thing had continued to gnaw at her curiosity.
"There is something I am curious about."
"What is it?"
"The rumor that you are about to be engaged to Prince Albert. Is it true?"
Elisvaria's gaze suddenly went blank. The next second, she sprang to her feet, a chilling aura bursting forth from her body. Lyanna's grip loosened instantly.
"What?! What kind of nonsense is that?! Where did you hear such garbage?!"
Her fury was unmistakable, as though whoever spread that rumor stood within reach of death.
"Hey, calm down first. The news has already spread widely in Velmorath since two days ago. I am not lying, Vara. At this rate, the gossip will likely reach every corner of the northern territories."
"Damn it. Albert. I truly want to kill him right now."
That wretched man.
I am genuinely disturbed by the cheap trick he deliberately spread in Velmoria. At first, I thought it was nothing more than a minor maneuver that could be crushed easily. Yet he was not satisfied. Recklessly, he repeated it in another city, then another, until the entire northern region was dragged into that disgusting vortex of falsehoods. The rumor spread far too quickly, as if an unseen hand was deliberately pushing it into every corner. Has that man's madness truly worsened, or was he never sane to begin with?
All of this chaos began exactly two years ago.
At that time, the former Duke of the North decided to abdicate and hand over all authority to his daughter. The sudden transfer of power shook the capital. Many nobles and high officials refused to believe that the decision was purely personal. They assumed that Alric Velmora's resignation was nothing more than a political move, bait meant to draw out those responsible for the Duchess's death.
Even after years had passed since his wife's departure, the anger within Alric never truly faded. That wound continued to fester in silence until it finally reached its breaking point. Before the Emperor, he released Saint-level aura without the slightest restraint. That overwhelming power was recognized as one of the ten greatest forces on the entire continent, on par with nine-star mages.
The pressure he unleashed was terrifying. The air around the Capital seemed to solidify, pressing in from all directions, as if the entire region were being crushed beneath an enormous mountain on the verge of collapse. It took the combined effort of the guarding nine-star mages and the Imperial Knight Commander just to contain the overflow of that aura before it turned into a catastrophe. That incident made the Emperor realize he had committed a fatal mistake in judging the ruler of the North. Alric Velmora was far more dangerous than the greatest knight he had always taken pride in.
Realizing that open confrontation would only destroy the Empire's stability, negotiation became the sole option. A secret agreement was formed. The Emperor requested that Alric step down from his position in exchange for compensation deemed sufficient to quell his rage. In return, the First Prince was stripped of his title as Crown Prince. For the sake of preserving unity within the Empire, the Emperor chose to bury the betrayal incident deep, as though it had never happened.
However, that calm lasted only briefly.
Several months after both the Crown Prince and Alric Velmora relinquished their positions, wild rumors began to surface. The public believed that both had been forced to step down under imperial pressure. The issue spiraled out of control, fueling speculation and intrigue among the nobility. Princes who believed those rumors began moving faster than anticipated, seeking to exploit the perceived power vacuum. One of them was the Third Prince, Albert Valdor.
Albert's interest in Elisvaria Velmora had, in truth, existed for a long time. His admiration was no secret, but it had always been blocked by the wall of hostility between the Imperial family and the Velmora household. Such a relationship was impossible. Time and again, Albert attempted to approach Elisvaria during various social gatherings, inviting her to dance before the nobles, only to be rejected each time with cold indifference that left no room at all. Each rejection only fueled his ambition further, especially after Alric vanished from the public stage.
Albert was now moving openly within the northern territory. He no longer needed to make official visits or act in secrecy as he had when Alric still held absolute power. His goal was only one, Elisvaria. By any means necessary. Even if he could never obtain the woman's love, he still desired control over her. A manipulative plan was set in motion. Public opinion was slowly guided to justify an engagement that had never been approved. He deliberately gambled with the reputation of the Imperial family to force her into submission. A deranged scheme that could only be born from the mind of a man blinded by obsession.
Back to Elisvaria.
Seeing her friend consumed by anger that radiated as a cold, oppressive aura, Lyanna moved quickly to calm her.
"Calm down, Vara."
Elisvaria lowered herself back into the chair. Her breathing remained heavy, but the pressure surrounding them gradually eased. Once again, Lyanna gently held her arm, as if reminding her that she was not alone.
"I am sorry. I let my emotions take over."
"Forget it. I would have reacted the same way if I were in your position."
Lyanna recalled the brief report she had received from Kahir Grimwell, the Deputy Commander of the Velmora Ducal Knights. He was personally appointed by the Duke to ensure her safety whenever she operated outside Velmoria. In many dangerous missions, Kahir's presence had always served as an unseen safeguard, allowing Lyanna to move without excessive concern for her own safety.
Her thoughts drifted back to the details of that report, and without realizing it, her fingers gently brushed the faint scar on the back of Elisvaria's hand. The mark was still visible, subtle yet clear enough to recall the incident in the snowy forest.
"Vara, what about the assassin who targeted you in the snow forest back then?"
"Still under investigation by Sir Roderic. One of them was captured alive. He is a high level mage."
"A mage? That part of the story is new to me."
"That information is classified, Anna. Only Vaelor, Nyra, Sir Roderic, Lord Sasuke, and I know that one of them is still alive."
Elisvaria turned and fixed Lyanna with a sharp gaze, making sure her friend understood the weight behind those words.
"And now, the number of people who know has increased by one."
Lyanna smiled faintly, showing no sign of surprise or burden at being entrusted with such knowledge.
"Relax. You know I am very good at keeping secrets."
Elisvaria let out a soft laugh. Her friend truly never changed. Despite the considerable age gap between them, whenever they were together, Lyanna's presence seemed to erase that difference entirely. There was no distance, no excessive formality. Only a comfort that was difficult to put into words.
I am truly grateful to have a friend I already consider my own sister.
Perhaps this was what my late mother wished for. Someone to share burdens with, a place to lean on, and a small space to release stress amid the relentless demands of life.
I miss you, Mother.
That brief reverie shattered when Lyanna's tone suddenly shifted, lighter yet filled with curiosity.
"So, when exactly did your relationship become that close?"
Elisvaria frowned in confusion.
"Pardon? What relationship are you talking about?"
"I have my suspicions, Vara. Perhaps Sasuke is the man you have been secretly meeting all this time. And now you no longer hesitate to bring him to your side because your relationship has grown more intimate."
"Ah! You are rambling again. We only met yesterday in the snow forest. He saved me, along with Vaelor and Nyra."
"Really? So you truly have no special relationship at all?"
Elisvaria glanced at her friend. Lyanna's ice blue eyes sparkled mischievously, perfectly complemented by her platinum blonde hair. There was no denying it. Lyanna was a remarkably beautiful woman, mature in every sense. At times, Elisvaria even felt a hint of envy when observing her friend's figure, especially her chest.
How can it be that large?
"Where are you looking, Vara?"
"It is nothing."
Elisvaria quickly looked away. She let out a quiet breath of relief, thinking her fleeting interest had gone unnoticed. In truth, Lyanna always knew when Vara's gaze unconsciously drifted there. A small pride she secretly enjoyed, giving her a subtle sense of superiority over the Duke of the North.
Lyanna smiled meaningfully, then stood and turned toward the exit.
"I will be going now. There is still a mountain of work waiting for me."
"Do not forget to send the full report regarding Velmorath and the intelligence data related to the Crown Prince and Albert."
"Of course, my lady."
Elisvaria's soft pink lips curved slightly at that formal reply. Lyanna took a few steps away, then suddenly stopped and turned back. A mischievous smile was clearly etched on her face.
"I thought your relationship with Sasuke was special. Seems I was mistaken. I am the type who gives way easily, Vara. But since you say there is nothing between you, I am allowed to join the game as well, right?"
Without waiting for an answer, Lyanna turned and left the room, laughing freely as she went.
Watching her friend depart after those words, Elisvaria felt an uncomfortable tightness form in her chest. The feeling was vague, shapeless, yet strong enough to disturb her calm. She herself did not understand what she was feeling. Why did that discomfort continue to itch at her thoughts, slowly darkening her mood?
Time passed without her noticing.
The afternoon faded, replaced by the deep night over the city of Velmoria. The biting cold enveloped the city mercilessly. Thick snow loomed over the northern horizon, until slowly, sunlight once again tried to pierce through the white clouds covering the sky, marking the beginning of the next day.