An uneasy shadow.

In the Tembar Kingdom, the funeral of the late king was conducted with solemn dignity.

Declared a death from illness, yet a faint tension hung in the air within the castle walls.

The royal family would observe mourning for three years. During this time, all contact with foreign nations and celebrations were to be avoided.

This included war. Lavisel rubbed her temples, thinking she’d have to find Amiel at least once during this period.

Agier and Amiel missing. And her father’s death.

She suspected the neighboring kingdom of Helgnar, but had no solid proof.

She’d sent spies to investigate in secret, but time just kept slipping by uselessly.

Lavisel sighed and took a sip of wine.

Helgner’s never been on good terms with us to begin with. Their devotion to spirit worship runs deep, and the fact that no member of the Tembar Kingdom’s royal family has been able to form a pact with a spirit for centuries only made things worse.

Now that we’ve finally figured out why the pact couldn’t be made, I suppose they see us as a clear-cut enemy.

But Tembar Kingdom did have its hero—the strongest ever said to have made a pact with the Great Spirit.

And two years ago, a guard from the same family made a pact with the Great Spirit too, causing an uproar not just in their own country but across neighboring realms.

That’s what kept things balanced. Even though the royal family had no connection to spirits at all, it was hardly an exaggeration to say they were under the Great Spirit’s protection.

Helgner’s not going to ignore that, obviously.

Lovell’s been shut out completely, but knowing how crucial that power is—better than anyone—he’s caught between spirits, frowning like he’s been shoved into a corner.

Tembar’s just taking advantage of Lovell’s soft spot. That fragile, easily shattered connection? It was Elen—the spirit’s daughter, half-human, half-spirit—that saved the day.

Elen cares deeply about family. That includes her father’s bloodline.

She probably has no idea her protection is even reaching the kingdom.

If Helgner killed Amiel and the others to start a war, they’d be showing off the corpses.

But Gadiel and Amiel? Gone. No trace. It’s far more natural to assume Amiel betrayed them.

(But… what kind of message is this? Nothing at all? What’s going on?)

No idea if he’s hiding, or even if he’s still alive.

If we contact Helgner now that Amiel hasn’t returned, they’d panic. The more suspicious they were, the more surprised they’d be by this—like someone hit them with a spoon and they didn’t even know it was coming.

(Just some reckless stunt? Or…?)

All sorts of possibilities swirl in my head. But better safe than sorry.

I write a letter through Sauvel, telling Lovell to come over. My hand stops mid-sentence.

(Elen…)

She’s clever—surely she’d have some idea? I think, pausing.

If the family’s in danger…

She’d move without hesitation.

The corners of my mouth lift as I write.

＊＊＊

Elen and Lovell come to the Vanklyft Family’s estate regularly, helping out with the household affairs.

The sight of the girl walking hand-in-hand with her father toward the manor—it was a balm to the servants.

Everyone was smiling and greeting the girl, no matter their station. Then, someone came running toward us from down the hallway.

"Ellen, Uncle! You're here!"

“Raffilia!”

Elen runs over and the two embrace. They both chuckle—fufufu—but their height difference makes them look nothing like twins; more like an older sister and her younger one.

Raffilia had grown since then—so much that it was hard to believe she was only fourteen.

Seems to have inherited her father’s impressive stature—something utterly enviable, standing at a full 170cm.

Elen was barely scraping 140 centimeters—so whenever she hugged Raffilia, it always ended with her face buried in Raffilia’s chest.

(How jealous I am...!!)

Every time she hugged Raffilia, happy to see her, Elen always ended up with that familiar pang of insecurity—something she couldn’t quite shake, even when she smiled.

But more than that, as everyone around her grew older and changed, the stark contrast only made her feel more left behind. A quiet loneliness crept in, like a loose thread in her coat she couldn’t quite pull out.

"Are you meeting with your dad and the others this morning? I’ll finish training by then—can we play this afternoon?"

"Yeah, we can play."

"Yay! See you later!!"

"Okay! Train hard!"

Watching Raffilia leave with her father, heading toward the knight’s training grounds far from the manor.

Raffilia had grown fast—over two years, she’d changed in body, yes, but also in mind.

It was because she’d learned the truth about the maids in the manor that she’d decided to become a knight—somehow, some reason, it all added up.

Raffilia used to look more like her mother two years ago.

As she trained and grew stronger, people started saying she fought just like Sauvel—then her face began to look exactly like his.

Sauvel, who’d once opposed Raffilia becoming a knight, couldn’t hide his surprise at her undeniable talent—blood or not, she was that good.

Now that Raffilia could ride a horse too, she’s been going on long rides with Sauvel lately.

Of course Sauvel was thrilled. Watching the master beam with pride, even the villagers who’d never liked Raffilia or her mother began to soften a little.

“…Raffilia’s changed, Father.”

“Seriously. She went from a rascal to a brute.”

“Ugh! What kind of thing is that to say to a girl?! Raffilia’s awesome!!”

That’s right. Lately, Raffilia’s become the talk of the girls’ circle—everyone says her fighting stance is absolutely fierce.

Riding a horse, wielding spear and bow with effortless grace—it looks damn good on her.

“Sauvel’s been lamenting how few suitors are interested in marrying his daughter.”

“Nonsense. Uncle would be thrilled, not the other way around.”

“…………”

He couldn’t argue, so Lovell just grunted in frustration.

“I wish I could be the one married to someone as fierce as Raffilia.”

“GYAAAH! STOP IT, STOP IT, STOP IT!!”

The servants rushed over at the sound of Lovell’s shriek.

But upon seeing him clutching his beloved daughter close, shaking his head wildly and muttering “no, no, no,” they just sighed and shook their heads.

“Elen’s not getting married!!”

The servants throughout the manor were all smirking at Lovell’s shouting.

＊＊＊

Just as Sauvel was about to begin discussing business in his study, he was stopped by Sauvel, who said he had something to say.

"I’ve been entrusted with a letter from the king."

Both Elen and Lovell’s faces twisted at once.

Sauvel chuckled at how eerily similar their expressions were, but then immediately straightened his face.

"Though it’s detailed in the letter, brother—do you remember Agiel’s daughter?"

"Never heard of her."

The curt reply from his brother made Sauvel sigh, but he pressed on.

"...Agiel and his daughter have gone missing. The king suspects they may have betrayed the nation and are planning something dangerous."

Elen’s breath caught.

Agiel had been fixated on Elen’s father all along. The realization hit her instantly—she looked at her father’s face.

Lovell grimaced, clearly uneasy, but Sauvel spoke up: “He’s not just my elder brother.”

“What do you mean?”

“Highly likely that Helgner’s involved. …According to the king’s assessment, both you and my elder brother are the targets.”

Elen and Lovell exchanged glances.

From the letter in their hands, a growing sense of dread seeped out—both of them sighed.