Reines sat on the edge of the bed, carefully administering eye drops to her piercing blue eyes. Her Mystic Eyes were a powerful gift, but they carried a significant burden; whenever she used them, they would flare with the color of molten fire. Afterward, she needed to use specialized drops to soothe the magical pressure.
She looked visibly drained. "The ladies are retiring for the evening, Wayland. A gentleman should know when to take his leave."
"I have something I need to say."
Wayland had a valid reason to stay. If he didn't warn them, both Reines and Gray were about to stumble into a world of trouble. However, before he could speak, Trimmau, the mercury maid, suddenly materialized in the center of the room.
"What is it?" Reines asked, her posture sharpening.
"Two unidentified targets are approaching the room."
Reines and Gray tensed instantly. Wayland merely narrowed his eyes. 'Why are they here so soon?'
Ten seconds later, a soft knock sounded at the door.
"May I come in?"
The voice was faintly familiar.
When the door opened, one of the twin maids who served the princesses was standing in the corridor. She bowed slightly. "I am Karina."
She stepped aside, allowing the figure behind her to enter.
It was the Golden Princess.
"A pleasure to meet you."
The voice hit Wayland like a physical shock, a sonic boom that tore through his thoughts and left his brain reeling.
'Beauty is violence.'
For the first time, Wayland truly understood the meaning of that phrase.
***
"I wish to speak with you," the Golden Princess, Diadra, said.
"Ah... yes... of course..."
Reines' response was a second too slow. It took a moment for her to push through the overwhelming storm of beauty radiating from the girl. "With us?" she finally asked.
"Could we speak in private?"
Combined with her ethereal, indescribable voice, it was an almost impossible request to refuse. But Reines shook her head. Too much had happened tonight, and the threat of an assassination or a direct confrontation was very real. Gray was her bodyguard, and as for Wayland... well, as the student of her brother, he was likely a genius in his own right. She had grown used to her brother's uncanny ability to discover peerless talents in the most unlikely of places.
She'd also heard rumors that Luviaedelfelt, the brilliant heiress of the Finnish noble house, had already applied to join the Clock Tower as Lord El-Melloi II's newest student.
"Gray and Wayland are core members of the Modern Magecraft department," Reines explained, her voice gaining its usual edge. "They are both completely trustworthy."
"In that case... Karina, stay by the door."
Diadra didn't seem to mind. Once Karina had stepped out, she spoke again. "I apologize for taking up your time. I have heard much of the El-Melloi family from my father. Your Lord is considered a savior by the new generation of magi; the new systems he has structured have breathed life back into the Clock Tower."
It was a rare piece of flattery.
Reines looked slightly uncomfortable, while Wayland simply frowned. It seemed the plot was sticking to the original script after all.
"I have a request," Diadra said, her voice dropping to a serious whisper. "I want you to help me and my sister escape."
"Es... escape?"
Even for a seasoned negotiator like Reines, the request was a shock. 'Escape' in this context was another way of saying 'defection.' The El-Melloi family, as members of the Aristocratic Faction, certainly had the political standing to grant asylum to a member of a Valualeta-aligned family.
"Yes."
Diadra was brutally honest. "My sister and I have endured unimaginable modifications and unimaginable pain since childhood just to earn the titles of Golden and Silver Princesses. But don't misunderstand,as magi, we were prepared to sacrifice our bodies for the sake of our craft. But my father's current methods have gone too far. They will cause irreversible damage. They will kill us."
"So, you believe you have a right to self-defense, and Byron has refused to listen to reason," Reines summarized.
"Correct."
Reines fell into a thoughtful silence. This sort of situation was rare, but not unheard of. When a magus family hit a stagnant dead-end in their research, they were often willing to take desperate, dangerous risks. It was tragic, but understandable.
"I have a question," Wayland said suddenly.
"Please," Diadra replied.
"Why not go to Lord Barthomeloi instead? Why us?"
Wayland gave her a small, knowing smile. "I understand your plan. But the El-Melloi family is currently a peripheral player in the Aristocratic Faction. We can't even begin to compare to the power of the Barthomelois. If they chose to act, your chances of success would be near a hundred percent."
"There is a reason for that," Diadra explained, her voice steady and without a hint of panic. "Because Lord Barthomeloi is so powerful, my father and Lord Valualeta watch her every move. If we even approached her quarters, we would be discovered instantly."
"A sound reason," Wayland said, falling silent again.
"As Wayland said, the El-Mellois are currently outliers," Reines said. "Even if I were to accept your proposal, I couldn't guarantee your safety. Furthermore, your bodies would likely be subject to intense investigation by our faction's researchers."
"The principle of equivalent exchange... we understand it well."
Diadra had clearly come prepared. "If the famous El-Melloi family accepts us, I doubt anyone would be foolish enough to ignore it."
Reines nodded noncommittally. The Golden Princess had praised her brother multiple times now; she'd clearly done her homework.
"But because we are so much smaller than the Valualetas, we have no desire to provoke a full-scale conflict," Reines said, her voice cool as she formally rejected the proposal.
But Diadra didn't back down. Instead, she gave another heart-stoppingly beautiful smile. "And if I were to offer a reward that would tempt even Lord Barthomeloi? Please, come to my room tomorrow morning. I will show you what I have to offer. Then you can make your final decision. How does that sound?"
Reines' curiosity was piqued. If such a reward truly existed...
She agreed.
Diadra left, satisfied.
Wayland glanced over at Reines, who had collapsed onto the bed with zero regard for her noble image, looking as though the short conversation had aged her a decade.
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]