"YOUR TWIN sister left again without so much as leaving a note?"

Nero wanted to cover his ears when his father started nagging, but he held back because they were talking about Neoma. However, he just let his father’s words go in one ear and out the other.

Let’s just eat.

Thankfully, his mother didn’t add to the nagging and just continued eating her breakfast in silence— like him.

Mother was never the type to scold us anyway, unless we really deserved a scolding.

In fact, it was his father who was often the recipient of his mother’s lectures.

It’s just disgusting to see Father enjoying Mother’s nagging.

His father was the type to revel in his mother’s attention, after all.

"Nero Roseheart de Moonasterio, are you listening?"

"No, Father. I’m sorry, but I want to enjoy my meal," Nero said shamelessly, making his father scoff and his mother laugh softly. "William mentioned that Neoma asked him to accompany her to the Spirit World. So, Neoma is probably there to visit her Sapling."

Neoma also left without Lewis Crevan.

So, I can just ask Lewis later about Neoma’s exact whereabouts.

"Are you not worried about your twin sister anymore?" his father asked suspiciously. "You’re the first person to lose your mind whenever Neoma is out of your sight."

"Well, I need Neoma out of the palace to do my job properly this time."

"What are you up to now, Nero?" his mother asked, genuinely concerned. "If you need Neoma out of the palace to do your job ’properly,’ then I suppose you know that it’s going to make your twin sister upset."

Yes, because Nero had asked William to bring him a Soul Beast capable of killing children.

But if he said, both his father and mother would stop him.

Thankfully, there was something else that he needed to do that might upset Neoma.

"Mother, Father, you’re already aware of the threat of the fake minor gods," Nero said carefully. "I’m aware that Hanna— Duchess Quinzel and her clan could purify the Malice out of the Darkness that created those fake gods."

He had already received his parents’ full report about the incident in which Hanna Quinzel killed the fake minor god that tried to attack them.

Through that report, he had found out about the existence of the thing called ’Malice.’

For a more detailed report about Malice, I need to talk to Hanna later.

He wasn’t just making an excuse to meet Hanna Quinzel, okay?

"But it’s not like we can ask the Quinzels to take care of the minor gods on their own," Nero continued, getting rid of useless thoughts occupying his mind. "Thankfully, Neoma found a way to kill those fake minor gods." He looked at his father. "It’s the same technique that Father used."

"Ah, divine power."

"Yes, but there are only a few people who are blessed with divine power," Nero said. "But, apparently, even weapons blessed with divine power work. Neoma tossed a holy sword to Lewis Crevan, and the fox managed to kill the fake minor gods that attacked the Royal Mage Tower."

"Where did Neoma get a holy sword?"

"She probably picked it up in the Royal Armory. I lent her the key when she said she was bored."

His father looked like he wanted to scold Nero for being careless with the Royal Armory, but the one who raided the place was Neoma, so his father just kept his mouth shut.

"Divine weapons and items work, too. But we can’t distribute such precious and rare things to the Imperial Knights. If divine weapons fall into the wrong hands, it’s going to be a headache. That’s why Neoma wanted to invest in weapons blessed with divine power instead."

"Neoma wants to arm the Imperial Knights with weapons blessed with divine power?" his mother asked, and then she laughed softly as if she remembered something funny. "No wonder Melvin Luchessi looked like he was going to cry when he greeted us earlier."

Ah, yes.

Nero scoffed when he remembered that Melvin Luchessi cried when he said to open the Royal Treasury and bring out weapons with divine power blessing. Those things were considered half-divine weapons, so the Imperial Chamberlain tried to stop him.

But, of course, when did he listen to Melvin Luchessi?

We should arm the captains and vice-captains with more powerful weapons to lead their squads, after all.

"I asked Melvin to buy as many weapons blessed by divine power as he could find," Nero explained to his parents, who were obviously waiting for his explanation. "I also asked him to use my personal funds if he has to. He isn’t even the one in charge of my finances, yet he clung to me and asked me to reconsider."

"If you need more funds, tell me," his father said in a serious tone. "My money is just sitting in my account anyway."

His mother nodded in agreement. "I don’t have as much money as your father, but I can still help."

"It’s alright, Father, Mother. I can handle that much."

His parents just nodded.

But I know they’ll secretly hoard weapons blessed with divine power behind my back to help.

"What part of it would make Neoma mad?" his mother asked curiously. "Do you think she’ll be upset if you splurge in weapons— weapons that we need to kill artificial minor gods?"

Ah, his mother hadn’t forgotten the main topic yet.

This is why Mother is scary.

"Weapons blessed with divine power are rare. Even if we buy all of those that are available in the market, I don’t think it would be enough to arm every single Imperial Knight," Nero explained. He had to sound convincing, so he wouldn’t get caught bringing a murderer Soul Beast. "So, I was planning to summon Prince Skylus and Princess Monik here to bless the Imperial Knights’ weapons."

As soon as he said those words, his parents immediately frowned.

Of course, they’ll be against it.

"Skylus and Monik are still very young kids, Nero," his mother said carefully. "Let’s just save that option as a last resort."

His mother said that, but Nero knew.

I know that she’ll do everything so we won’t have to do the ’last resort.’

"Should I do it?"

Huh?

Both Nero and his mother turned to his father.

"I have a good command of my divine power," his father said while he was looking down at his hands that he kept clenching and unclenching. Then he lifted his head, looking back and forth between Nero and his mother. "I think I can spread my divine power and let weapons absorb it."

What?

Nero tilted his head to one side.

Has Father found his new calling after stepping down as the emperor?

***

LEWIS CREVAN watched from afar while the young Silver Foxes— probably around his age, or maybe younger— played in the front yard of the palace serving as their residence.

The ’front yard’ was actually a part of Princess Neoma’s outdoor training grounds.

And he knew why the Imperial Princess let the foxes use it, even though the foxes weren’t aware of that fact.

Princess Neoma knows that the foxes play like they’re fighting each other.

The young Silver Foxes may look like they were trying to kill each other, but Lewis could see that everyone was smiling and having fun.

Wait.

Can I really call them ’young?’ They are older than me. But since they were frozen...

Argh.

Lewis’ head ached a little because he didn’t like using his brain when he didn’t have to.

Princess Neoma is in charge of the ’thinking’ part.

Anyway, he wanted to talk to his fellow clan members again.

But Lewis felt... uh, shy.

Duchess Hanna Quinzel had left the Imperial Palace with his father this morning, so he was alone now.

Princess Neoma also left for the Spirit World.

He wanted to accompany the Imperial Princess, but she was already gone when he went to her room to wake her up.

What Lewis found in the room was a note.

That was Princess Neoma’s order.

So, here I am now.

Lewis Crevan snapped out of his silly thoughts when a new ’fox’ suddenly appeared out of thin air, in front of the Silver Foxes who had just finished rolling on the ground.

It was a medium-sized white fox.

But he had a bad feeling about it.

Before Lewis Crevan knew it, he was already running towards the suspicious white fox.

And he was glad that he did.

The white fox suddenly transformed into a young man with pink hair.

A male Roseheart...?

Lewis Crevan didn’t have time to dwell on that fact when the (presumably) male Roseheart suddenly brought out double daggers and was about to attack the Silver Foxes, who seemed like they were frozen on the spot.

That bastard!

Thankfully, he made it in time.

Lewis Crevan kicked the male Roseheart in the back of his head.

Well, he tried to hit him while he had his back turned to him.

But the male Roseheart felt his presence at the last minute, and he suddenly turned around to face him.

Which was good.

After all, thanks to that, Lewis Crevan got to kick the male Roseheart in the face— sending the bastard flying.

Then he stood in front of the young Silver Foxes protectively.

"Who the fuck are you?" the male Roseheart, who managed to stop his body from hitting the giant tree behind him, asked— almost growling. "Only cowards ambush their opponents from behind!"

Lewis Crevan scoffed, since Princess Neoma taught him that everything was fair in love and war. "Bastard you die soreye."

Yes, Lewis Crevan switched back to speaking broken sentences because...

I don’t like talking to trash.

***

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