Magnus looked at him and smiled. It was an utterly innocent and bright smile, which made it all the more breathtaking.

“I, I will never disobey or betray you, elder brother! No matter what happens, I will obey and be loyal to you until I die, and, and you, elder brother…”

“San. My younger brother. I’m sure I explained it clearly to you, so why are you disappointing me like this?”

“…Elder brother…”

“How can I trust you?”

Thud. San’s hand, which had been clinging to the black boots like a lifeline as he anticipated his future, fell away.

San crouched down, making animal-like sobbing sounds, and before long, he threw his head back as if he had lost his mind and burst out laughing.

“…Elder brother.”

Actually, I saw it too. The portrait that Ardor has. The true portrait of King Iker.

His voice, which had become hoarse from begging and pleading, was eerily gloomy.

Even Magnus, who had been generously laughing off San’s appearance, thinking it was just the death throes of someone about to die soon, erased his expression and stared at San.

“But elder brother. What exactly does it mean that the King Iker in that portrait… resembles that woman more than you?”

“…Have I been too lenient with you? If you’re going to speak, you should be careful and mindful of who you’re talking to. I think I told you once before, San.”

“Why don’t you try killing me, elder brother.”

Even with a blade pointed at his neck, San seemed to have regained his composure.

This time, it was San who smirked, and Magnus who grimly hardened his face. And finally, at the moment of his last breath,

“You are a fake.”

San’s quiet last words scattered.

Those words, which seemed like a prophecy at a glance. The lips that continued smiling with conviction until the very end. Magnus’s face twisted hideously upon witnessing it.

“Have you finished all your work?”

“As you can see. It was definitely easier thanks to your assistance.”

Clang, the sword stained with a dark red color fell to the floor unceremoniously.

Lena Aquila, who was of course kneeling and prostrating, lowered her upper body to express her utmost subservience, and deftly observed the sword that fell powerlessly.

What could be the reason? Why was he in a low mood?

The king was dead, and all the other royals were dead as well.

Now all that remained was the coronation ceremony, and Merche Venenum was as good as dead… Even in such a perfect situation, an undisguised murderous intent that couldn’t be hidden was felt in Magnus’s eyes.

“…..”

Lena remained silent for now. Then, while maintaining her posture, she only turned her gaze to glance at her daughter who was prostrating beside her.

‘Tereze.’

When she called out soundlessly by only moving her lips, eyes that looked exactly like hers followed smoothly.

Tereze still had a face that couldn’t hide her dissatisfaction.

In her downcast eyes, not a single shred of loyalty could be found, and her clenched fists were filled with resentment to the point of almost overflowing.

As her own child whom she had given birth to in pain, Lena also read the resentment in Tereze’s gaze.

Why did you pledge loyalty to such a murderous prince? Lena smiled at her daughter’s emotions, unable to understand and angry, and spoke silently once more.

‘I don’t regret it. My choice is right, my dear.’

In the end, Tereze turned her head away sharply, but Lena didn’t look back.

Instead, with an even more affectionate smile, she spoke to her lord in a gentle voice.

“Your Majesty the King. Then when are you thinking of scheduling the coronation ceremony?”

“…Your Majesty the King?”

At the title called out as if it were natural, the murky green eyes flashed for a moment.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Now that it has come to this, there will be no problem in addressing you as such. Don’t you think so?”

The eyes that had been tinged with a somewhat gloomy color gradually became transparent as if the fog was clearing.

Lena Aquila did not miss the transformation of those brilliantly shining green eyes.

No matter how you looked at it, the process of the eyes’ vivid transformation became a single conviction that flew in. However, for Lena, that conviction was a challenge.

For what reason? Why on earth was that greedy and reckless person harboring anxiety and impatience?

Until now, Magnus had never shown even an ounce of anxiety, let alone any emotions of that similar category, in front of her.

Rather, he was always overflowing with confidence. That confidence, which never diminished, was as great as the size of his greed.

But now. After eliminating the king and all the royals, and being the only royal and having the throne within reach. Why at this moment of all times?

“It’s not an entirely wrong title. It’s just a bit premature since the coronation ceremony hasn’t been held yet. So next time, after I wear the golden crown on this head, I’ll hear that title from you.”

Yes. The Magnus she knew was such a relaxed and arrogant person. Then that appearance from earlier…

“Hmm. But you, you have a companion with you today?”

“…Ah. How rude of me. The introduction is way overdue.”

The moment Magnus mentioned Tereze as if he had only just noticed her existence, Lena immediately pushed aside the question that had been filling her mind.

This level of curiosity. She could just gather various information later to resolve it.

Rather, what was important to her now was to safely introduce her own flesh and blood to Magnus.

“Your Highness. As you can see, this is my daughter and heir to Aquila, Tereze. She came here today to pledge her loyalty to you.”

Tereze?

Lena called out her name along with a glance. Then Tereze, who had been hesitating, slowly moved forward with a respectful yet raised chin.

“…It is an honor to meet you. Tereze Aquila, I greet you, Prince.”

“Yes, is this the first time we are formally exchanging greetings?”

“Yes, it is the first time.”

“Nice to meet you, Lady Tereze.”

As they exchanged greetings, Magnus looked over that chin line that never seemed to bend with a strangely interested gaze.

Seeing that, Lena swallowed her dry saliva.

“Tereze, my dear. You should pledge your loyalty to His Highness now.”

Even with the impatient urging, Tereze did not easily prostrate herself. In fact, this in itself could be considered an exhibition of her resentment towards Magnus.

Magnus laughed crudely while looking at Lena’s perplexed face that seemed like she would break out in a cold sweat at any moment.

He liked people like Tereze. No, to be exact, he liked the act of making such upright people kneel.

Wouldn’t that be the thing that truly brought him joy?

Trampling on those who show resentment towards him and eventually making them beg to be spared.

That was the area he enjoyed the most and also excelled in the most.

“Lady Tereze. Are you going to make all the loyalty and merits of your mother in vain?”

“…My mother and I are separate individuals with different wills. There is no rule that I must want what my mother wants.”

“Oh my. You’re wrong. That is strictly your own thought, and my thought is different.”

It seems I will have to teach you a lesson today.

Tereze frowned at his deep smile. What on earth was he trying to do?

The grinning face that couldn’t be read was unpleasant. When she was about to take a step back because of that,

Magnus, who had lazily leaned against the back of the fancy chair, rested his chin on his hand and kindly commanded.

“You. Would you pick up my sword for me?”

“…..”

Tereze glanced at the sword that was discarded on the floor.

His sword, which was splattered with a terrifying red liquid just by looking at it, was sprawled on the floor, so if she wanted to pick it up, she had to lower her body and reach out her hand.

Was he trying to break her spirit by making her take an undignified posture?

Tereze snorted at the plausible guess. It would just be a futile effort.

She wasn’t the type to feel humiliated or ashamed just by lowering her posture.

“Yes. If that is what you desire, Your Highness.”

She readily agreed and bent her upper body without hesitation.

Her body, toned by proper training, was flexible, and the sword was in a position where she could comfortably grab it by reaching out her arm. So nothing else would be a problem.

Confident of that, it was when she reached out her hand.

“…Ugh!”

The feeling of her body being pressed down against her will. That indescribably miserable and humiliating pressure crushed Tereze without warning.

The frivolous breathing she let out was so utterly wretched that it couldn’t even be considered a mistake.

She crawled on the floor. Just like a struggling insect, or a slave writhing from being whipped.

Anger and shame tried to dye her entire body red, but Tereze was placed under a different emotion before that could happen. It was fear.

“Ungh…, ugh!”

If this pressure intensified just a little more. If that happened, her body might really burst.

At that sole thought, cold sweat drenched her entire body. Tereze hurriedly raised her eyes, blurred with tears, and sought out her mother.

But Lena had already lowered her body and was lying prostrate.

Although she saw her daughter engulfed in cruel fear, she couldn’t dare embrace Tereze in front of Magnus, so she only trembled with her hidden hands.

“You. Do you still think your thought is right?”

Magnus simply descended from the chair calmly and approached with a leisurely pace as if taking a walk.

Then he slightly lowered his upper body to match Tereze’s eye level and whispered intimately.

“This is what I think. Whether you and Lady Aquila have a mother-daughter relationship, or a barren relationship without a single drop of blood shared, I don’t care. What’s important is that you both bear the Aquila name. Just with that, you and that Lady Aquila are a package deal.”

So isn’t the fate of one the same as the fate of the other?

With that question tinged with laughter, he didn’t add any more words.

He just looked at Tereze as if looking at something extremely pitiful.

How the trembling insect would struggle to survive, when it would accept that it was nothing more than an insect and act according to its status. The eyes that gauged solely for the purpose of interest were chillingly desolate.