“Inspector Gustaff, your viotion of the city w is a disgrace to the trust between Bareniss and the Royal Court,” Obelius scolds him.

  After the battle, everyone from the market was brought to the Pace of Starry Cape, the former mansion of House Jones. Cn Uda helped them renovate and expand years ago before the Civil War. Besides the royal pace, this is the most extravagant mansion in northern Gustan.

  After the Civil War started, Cn Uda took over the city entirely. Now, the pace serves as the political center of the city, with House Jones as puppets.

  The building’s blue roof connects to the ocean and the sky, a symbol of sea power. The white marble walls represent purity and justice. The grandeur of the pace is inescapable from our eyes.

  The interior enhances the feeling of independence. Simir to the hall in the City of Serenity. They are furnished with ornaments and formality. Showing the visitor that they are not just a normal city.

  Sharon was taken to a bedroom to rest while the rest of us were kept at the interrogation.

  We are spread into two sides, our side, and Gustaff’s side, with the Divine Legion and Obelius in the middle of the grand hall of the mansion, a pce so grand that a peasant might mistake it for a throne room. All the Legionnaires are on guard. Our weapons were all taken away.

  “Bareniss granted free passage to the royal court officials, a significant concession to the city’s ws,” Obelius states, his voice steady, unwavering.

  “As you should have, ‘Mr. Mayor.’ And while you’re at it, maybe drop the noble imposter accent.” Gustaff sneers, utterly indifferent to the formality.

  From the corner of my eye, I catch Grant’s subtle nod. He doesn’t disagree. He has never liked the idea of Bareniss acting as if it weren’t under Omenmian rule. A dangerous stance, given our current situation.

  Obelius, unfazed, continues. “Since you refuse to comply, I hereby revoke you and your colleagues’ city permits. Your right to traverse Bareniss is now forfeit.”

  Mop, usually fearless, shrinks under Obelius’s presence. Without a word, she presses herself close to me, as if seeking shelter from an unseen monster.

  Unlike most people on our team, she can sense it.

  Obelius’s power isn’t just strength or skill or title.

  It is like it exists on a different pne.

  It forces obedience without raising a weapon. It isn’t loud, isn’t boastful—yet it weighs down on everyone in the room like an unspoken truth.

  She clings tighter, burying herself against my side, closer than ever. I don’t pull away.

  “Don’t waste your tears for us. The job’s already botched. Do you really think this changes anything for us?” Gustaff continues his provocation.

  “Furthermore, for the unwful abduction of visitors in public space and violent actions against the Legion, I hereby sentence you all to ten years of imprisonment in the city prison.”

  Grant, now back to his usual self with the relief of Sharon’s survival, smirks. “Ha! Take that, Gustaff.”

  “Silence,” Obelius interjects—calm, but absolute.

  Benica and Baz are tense, bracing for Grant to push his luck further, but—for once—he doesn’t. Instead, he exhales slowly, crossing his arms with an annoyed huff but wisely holding his tongue.

  Gustaff barely reacts, his grin steady as he levels his gaze at Obelius. “You really think Omenmia will let you get away with this? You think Commander Sibelius will stand for this?”

  “With the new empress freshly throned, do you truly believe the empire would stir conflict over a mere low-ranking inspector like you?” Obelius’s voice remains steady, and firm. “The w is the w. Had you honored the agreement between Bareniss and Omenmia, this discussion would not even be necessary.”

  With a subtle gesture of his hand, he issues the final command.

  “Take them away.”

  Gustaff shouts, “Wait! What about city service? You allow criminals to atone through service, don’t you?”

  Obelius narrows his eyes. “And why should I grant you atonement when you show no remorse for your actions?”

  “I feel deeply ashamed of our actions,” Gustaff says, his tone as unconvincing as a spoiled child feigning regrets to escape punishment.

  “With your actions, there won’t be a suitable mission for you to undertake. Don’t waste your thoughts on it,” Obelius states firmly.

  “Well, any small act of service matters, right?” Gustaff presses, an insufferable smirk tugging at his lips.

  Obelius raises an eyebrow, unimpressed.

  “We’ll see.”

  With that, he gestures, and the Legionnaires step forward, seizing the inspectors. Without protest, they are dragged out of the pace, with their fates no longer in their own hands.

  As soon as the inspectors are taken away, Baz steps forward, attempting to ease the tension.

  “Thank you for your fairness and justice. We wouldn’t have survived—”

  I immediately know this was a mistake.

  Obelius turns to us, expression unchanging, firm, and calm. With a single motion, he extends his hand. A Legionnaire steps forward, presenting a stack of documents.

  “So,” Obelius says, his voice calm yet absolute. “About the fake identities.”

  The weight of the words crashes down on us.

  Silence floods the chamber.

  A cold dread creeps in.

  Every single one of us is frozen in pce—we’re done.

  Dominic immediately kneels, his movements swift and deliberate, like a soldier pledging loyalty.

  “Your Benevolence,” he says, voice smooth and measured. “M’dy and I were simply passing through. We happened to be at the inn when the incident occurred. We could not stand by and let innocents be harmed.”

  His gaze remains respectfully low, but his tone is clear and confident.

  “Please, we had no part in this identity fraud.”

  I know exactly what he’s doing.

  He’s trying to protect me.

  But I didn’t expect him to throw the others aside so quickly the moment things turned dire.

  As I brace myself to deny, Obelius cuts through the silence with a single question.

  “Then why is the young girl so attached to your ‘dy’?”

  His gaze shifts to Mop, and the moment his attention nds on her, she’s frozen. Her tiny body trembles, her grip on my clothes fastened.

  “Mommy… scared,” she stammers, fragile, barely forming the words.

  Obelius’s expression remains unreadable. “Mommy?” he repeats.

  He turns his gaze back to Dominic, flipping through the documents handed to him.

  “Mr…” He gnces at the page. “Dominic.”

  “Let’s not insult each other’s intelligence. Every single person here, except you, matches the descriptions of Prince Grant’s wanted group.” He shuts the file with a quiet finality.

  “I don’t know who you are. But for you to cim mere coincidence—after Felicia, ‘your dy,’ is the very one who created a scene in the market, sharing the exact name of Prince Grant’s personal maid?”

  He pauses a moment to stare into Dominic’s expression.

  “Frankly, it’s a terrible lie.”

  Baz steps forward, his voice is urgent.

  “Your Benevolence, I sincerely apologize for our ck of consideration,” he says, bowing slightly. “But Mr. Dominic is merely a passerby—a hero who stepped in to help when things escated. We already owe him twice over.”

  His gaze flickers toward Dominic.

  “If possible, I would hope you could grant him a pass for this commotion. He had no part in our deception.”

  Even after Dominic abandoned the team, Baz is still trying to vouch for him.

  “I don’t believe I can,” Obelius states firmly. “He falsely cimed your maid as his dy on an official document. That, in itself, is an act of fraud.”

  Grant crosses his arms and interjects bluntly, “Then what? Are you gonna throw us in jail, too? Or hand us back to the empire?”

  Reckless.

  “Your Highness!” Baz hisses. He moves instinctively as if he can physically restrain him.

  “Please, let’s not be hostile,” Obelius exhales, as if he is dealing with children.

  “I have no intention of handing you back to the empire. Not yet. However, the murder of the te emperor is no small matter. It is only just that a proper court is held here in Bareniss—where the w is clearer and impartial.”

  His gaze tightens. “It is better to seek justice here than to leave it to your empire’s… court system.”

  I’m not sure how to feel about that. Should I be relieved we won’t be sent straight to Omenmia, or insulted that he openly mocks our justice system fwed?

  Grant scoffs. “So what, we just sit around and wait for the imperial officials to arrive?”

  “Mostly true.”

  Mostly?

  Baz approaches, wary of the wording. “Your Benevolence, what exactly does that mean?”

  Obelius regards him with calmness. “Since you openly forged identities and caused a rge-scale disturbance at the market—regardless of your intent—those infractions still warrant proper adjudication.”

  The room tenses.

  He isn’t handing us over to the empire for now, but he’s also not about to turn a blind eye to our actions.

  Justice, in his eyes, must be absolute—no exceptions.

  Suddenly, the doors to the great hall swing open with force.

  An ethereal silver-blond woman with pointed ears. Ellina.

  She marches in, clearly irritated.

  She had been left outside when Obelius forbade her from entering—excluded from the scene deliberately because she had not been part of the fight.

  “Uncle Obelius, this is taking way too long!” she huffs, hands on her hips. Then, her frustration sharpens into resentment. “And how can you punish them when they’re being actively hunted? That’s completely unfair! Of course, they had to hide their identities!”

  She doesn’t stop walking, stepping closer with each word, undeterred by the heavy atmosphere of the room.

  The Legionnaires instinctively move to intercept her, stepping into her path, their armored forms imposing barriers between her and us.

  Obelius sighs. With a slight wave of his hand, he signals them to stand down.

  “Let her through,” he says, his voice carrying both authority and mild exasperation.

  The Legionnaires hesitate for only a moment before obeying, stepping aside.

  Ellina wastes no time. She strides past them, straight toward Obelius, unrelenting.

  I wasn’t expecting her to call him uncle.

  Do they know each other that well?

  That changes things.

  If she has enough influence over him to speak so casually, then this might give us an edge. If nothing else, it means she can challenge him in a way we can’t.

  “So what do you say, Uncle?”

  “First, no. We don’t bend the w for anyone. Second, I know I granted your family free passes, but I also recall instructing Empress Nanali to notify us before any of you arrive.”

  “She did. She sent me here to tell you in advance,” Ellina says casually.

  “You can’t exactly ‘inform’ me if you’re the subject of the message… Wait—Nanali sent you? She’s coming?”

  “Indeed, she is.”

  Obelius sinks into deep thought.

  I haven’t seen him like this since our time in the Shin Academy.

  He whispers to a Legionnaire and sends him on a task.

  “So, uncle, can you forgive them?”

  “No.”

  “Why?” Ellina sulks.

  “The w is why.”

  “Then at least let them serve it by social service.”

  Obelius sighs.

  “That was my pn all along before you budged in and interrupted me.”

  Ellina blushes, embarrassed.

  “Oh. Alright. Thank you, uncle.”

  She kisses him on the cheek and smiles tauntingly at Grant.

  “I want to join them.”

  “What? No! ” Obelius excims.

  “No!” Grant adds.

  “How do I expin to your mother if you get hurt?” Obelius continues.

  “I just broke a rule by budging in. I need to be punished, too.”

  She acts like she is atoning for a life load of guilt.

  Obelius rubs his temple, exhaling sharply. “You are always the most troublesome of Nanali’s children.” He looks at her, long and hard, then sighs, defeated. “…Fine.”

  “Hey, we don’t want her on the team,” Grant insists.

  “That’s not your decision. Also, she is much stronger than most of you. That should make the mission safer.”

  “What? Grant, you’re the one who said you wanted to challenge me to a duel earlier today. Don’t you forget?”

  “We can do that after.”

  “Then you’d better win fast because you’ll be too busy answering for treason by then.”

  “You…” Grant is bursting out.

  Obelius frowns but smiles, an awkward acceptance of Ellina’s demeanor on his court.

  “Your Benevolence, what is the mission?” Baz stops the chaos.

  Obelius shifts into a serious expression.

  “There is a need for a rescue team.”