Thud.

As Askan entered the study, he noticed someone had infiltrated the room. And he also discerned the identity of the intruder.

Casually approaching the desk, Askan spoke, “Enough, come out.”

As soon as those words were uttered, a human figure slowly materialized from the darkness.

It was Vile, with long, murky blue hair and gloomy ash-colored eyes, revealing himself after a long time.

“How do you always know when I come? Others wouldn’t notice even if I killed them and woke them up.”

“Your breathing is different from others.”

“Is that so?”

“Not just you. Most of the children raised in the laboratory couldn’t hear their own breathing. We received training to hide our presence from an early age.”

Survivors from the laboratory were virtually nonexistent until now.

Therefore, among those infiltrating Askan’s study, Vile was the only one capable of making such breath sounds.

Vile replied with a bitter expression, “I see.”

Askan settled onto the desk. Reading various papers with information, he asked Vile, “What brings you here? Is there a problem with the task you’re assigned?”

“No, no issues. I came because I heard the renovation of Calspelliver’s appearance is almost done.”

Askan chuckled. It was a gentle smile, not often shown to anyone other than Tanasia.

“When it’s finished, show it to me first.”

The eternal flame obtained through human weapon experiments burned lives, much like the exchanged power.

Askan, unlike others who hadn’t vomited blood yet, still needed Calspelliver because there could be a time when limits would be reached.

Vile cautiously spoke as he observed Askan, “Hyung.”

“Speak.”

“Do you really plan to step down from the position of Chief of Guards? Even if you pretend to lose to keep clinging to the emperor, you might be able to deceive others.”

Thunk, Askan put down the paper he was looking at. Then, with a puzzled expression, he looked at Vile and asked, “Why are you suddenly saying that?”

Askan stepping down from the Chief of Guards position had been a planned event for a long time.

As the purpose was to provoke a war with other empires, he had other preparations to make.

Returning to duty was not part of those plans for now.

As part of that plan, one of the last commands he executed as the Chief of Guards was to bring Tanasia to the Kalua Empire.

Knowing that Helsion would not easily let her go from the beginning, Askan had been working behind the scenes to step down from the Chief of Guards.

“But…”

Vile trailed off without providing a clear answer.

Askan, with a puzzled expression, urged him, “If you have something to say, say it properly.”

“If you step down even from the Chief of Guards… won’t you be too focused only on Brelof Young Lady? You’re already deeply involved in matters concerning Young Lady.”

Some of the Chief Guards were dispatched recently to capture the mercenaries Andro mentioned.
On the day Charles was assassinated, Kains, who had infiltrated the villa, died. However, while pursuing information about others who were present at that time, he found himself in the midst of capturing them alive.

Additionally, Bills, the deputy commander of the Chief Guards, was well aware of Askan’s actions for Tanasia.

Bill was afraid.

He was afraid that Askan might forget the revenge for the laboratory children.

“Bill, you don’t think I’ll forget the deaths of others, do you?”

“It’s not that, but…”

“Of course not. I promised to avenge them when they were dying. I won’t break that promise.”

Askan’s expression darkened. It was evident to anyone that his mood had turned sour.

However, Bill couldn’t deny that it wasn’t what he meant.

Compared to the insignificant past, he was enjoying too much now.

Although he trusted Askan, he couldn’t shake off the anxiety that Askan might bury his hellish past and find happiness alone.

The two of them had been running toward the same goal all along, but lately, they couldn’t shake off the feeling of drifting apart.

Everything changed since Tanasia appeared.

“…I’m sorry. It’s not that I doubt you, but I keep feeling uneasy.”

“What exactly makes you uneasy?”

“I feel like you might go far away. Actually, these days, I often dream that you’re leaving me and the children in the laboratory behind.”

Askan approached Bill, who was smiling awkwardly, as if mocking him. Then, he messed up Bill’s hair with his hand and said, “Don’t think unnecessary thoughts. I like Tanasia, but that doesn’t mean I can forget you and the laboratory children.”

The dark expression that had settled on Bill’s face disappeared at those words. He raised his head with a brighter expression than before.

“Really?”

“Of course. Have you ever seen me break my word?”

“No.”

Askan playfully narrowed his eyes at Bill.

“I thought you were all grown up, but seeing you today, maybe not.”

“What are you talking about? It’s been a while since I became an adult.”

“Maybe we’ve been too secluded, and that’s why you’re dreaming of such things out of loneliness. How about meeting someone?,” Askan suggested.

Bill chuckled bitterly and shook his head.