Klaus found August in the slaves' quarters.
He had already gathered everyone into a single room. The servants—trained to obey without question—sat packed together in silence. Only their wide, hollow eyes and the muffled sobs of children betrayed what they felt.
"Where's Pritik?"
"Sweeping the estate," August said. "We're not leaving a single one behind." His gaze shifted. "And who the hell is that?"
"A former high noble. I'll explain later." Klaus exhaled. "Plans changed. Contact Horalde—we're not taking the estate today."
August stared at him.
"…Have you finally lost it?"
"There are reasons. Just call him."
A sharp click of the tongue—irritation, barely contained.
August pulled out the communication stone.
"Horalde," he said flatly, "our dear Klaus has officially gone insane. Don't have details yet, but we're calling it off. Turn your forces around—we're withdrawing."
"Is everything under control on your end?" came the reply.
"Yeah. We haven't engaged."
"Then I strongly suggest you reconsider. You may not get another chance."
Klaus stepped closer.
"What do you mean?"
A pause.
"Klaus… we intercepted scouts near the hidden entrance. One got away. The others said they were supposed to report back. If he made it—and he likely did—the king already knows you're here. If you withdraw now, he'll move the queen. Once she's gone, he'll twist everything to his advantage."
Silence.
"…You'll lose your leverage."
Klaus clenched his jaw.
Of course.
Everything always fell apart at the worst possible moment.
"…Enough," he said quietly. "I understand."
He forced the words out:
"We proceed. We just delay presenting her. That's all."
The connection cut.
August looked at him.
"You still want to hide the queen?"
"She's not in her right mind," Klaus said. His voice dropped. "And the witch's potions stopped her from aging. If we show her like this… I don't know what it'll trigger."
"That could work in our favor," August shot back. "Let them see what your father did to her. The royal mark will prove who she is."
Klaus shook his head.
"You'll understand when you see her."
A pause.
"Let's wait for Pritik."
While they waited, Klaus explained.
The plan. The risk. The only chance to restore her mind.
August listened without interrupting this time.
"…Brod," he said finally. "If anyone can fix what's left of her, it's him."
A soft chime echoed down the corridor.
Pritik stepped in, dragging a young slave girl behind him.
"What's that?" August asked.
"Minami," Vitos said calmly. "She can't sleep. She's calling for a servant again."
Klaus moved immediately.
"Perfect. Pritik—they're yours."
"Yes, Lord Klaus."
They stopped outside the queen's chamber.
The bell rang again.
Klaus exhaled slowly.
"Well. Ready to meet my mother?"
August gave a crooked smirk.
"That's one hell of a way to introduce someone."
For a second, Klaus almost laughed.
Almost.
Vitos entered first.
"I didn't call for you!" Minami snapped. "What are you doing here? I told you not to come back until you did what I asked!"
"I brought someone you wanted to see."
Silence.
Then—
A smile.
Wide. Wrong.
"He came… Ah—he finally understood his mistake. He came to beg for forgiveness!"
"No," Klaus said, stepping inside. "I came to help you."
Her expression twisted instantly.
"You insolent little bastard! Don't you dare call me that!" she shrieked. "Look at me! How could I possibly be your mother? I'm young—I'm beautiful! You should be on your knees—begging me—for rejecting me and running away!"
"Calm down, Minami—" Vitos started.
"Shut up!" she screamed. "You promised me everything—and now you've sided with him just to humiliate me?!"
The hysteria died as suddenly as it came.
Her face softened.
She moved toward Klaus—slow, graceful, wrong.
"What a face…" she whispered. "Those eyes…"
A hungry smile curled her lips.
"You're beautiful. You came to me on your own…" Her voice dropped. "Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting?"
Her hand reached for his chest.
Klaus stepped back.
Her eyes snapped.
Madness flooded them again.
"You're mocking me."
That was enough.
Klaus moved.
His fingers pressed between her brows—
and he forced foreign memories into her mind.
Another world.
Foreign lives.
Truth she couldn't reject.
"What is this?!" she gasped. "What did you do to me?!"
She staggered back, clutching her head, shaking, whispering, trying to tear the чужой reality out of herself.
"Vitos. Now."
The vial was already open.
Klaus grabbed her jaw, forced her head back, and poured it down her throat.
No choice.
Swallow.
"You're persistent…" she whispered faintly, reaching for him—
Then her body gave out.
She went limp in his arms.
Breathing slowed.
Even.
Still.
"…That went better than expected," Vitos muttered.
August stepped in.
Stared.
"…Did she just try to seduce her own son?"
"Seduce him," Klaus said flatly, laying her down. "Then kill him."
"If you'd heard what she said about you—" Vitos began.
"Don't."
Sharp.
Immediate.
"I don't want to know. That wasn't her."
August exhaled slowly.
"…Gods. How are you even standing?"
Klaus didn't answer right away.
Because the truth was—
he barely was.
"I'm fine," he said anyway.
A lie.
A necessary one.
"We need a portal," he continued. "First, we move them to the underground city. The portal to Pauoka's house only works from there."
"I'll have Pritik open it and take over guard duty," August said. "What about the army?"
"The potion will hold for hours," Klaus replied. "We take the estate first. Then we move her and the professor."
"Works for me."
Vitos refused to leave her alone.
So Klaus and August went themselves.
Horalde's forces were already waiting.
They didn't have time.
They slipped into the main hall and hid behind a heavy tapestry.
Waiting.
Listening.
"Klaus," August said quietly, "what the hell happened while you were gone?"
"Not now."
"Lately it's never 'now.' Talk to me."
Klaus closed his eyes for a moment.
He knew this was coming.
He'd known from the start.
"What do you want to hear?"
"Why you brought him back."
"I told you—I had my reasons—"
"No," August cut in. "I want to hear them."
Silence.
"…Because it's more dangerous for him there than it is here."
August's voice hardened.
"And what are you, his mother?" A step closer. "Why do you care so much? Who is he to you?"
Klaus hesitated.
Damn it.
"…August." His voice dropped. "He's more than a friend."
Silence.
"I realized it there."
"…So you chose him."
"…Yeah."
The word came out heavier than he expected.
"I still don't fully understand what I feel, so—"
"Answer me one thing," August cut in, quieter now. "That time—with the herbs. In the bath."
A beat.
"Did you feel nothing?"
Klaus didn't look away.
"It felt good," he said honestly. "Different. But… yeah. I liked it."
A pause.
"Then why him?"
Klaus hesitated again.
Because there was no way to say it without hurting him.
"…Because with him—"
He exhaled.
"—it felt like an explosion."
Silence.
"Like I lost control. Like something snapped and I got flooded with energy at the same time. Like I could tear the world apart."
A breath.
"…I've never felt anything like that."
Silence stretched.
Then—
A quiet, bitter laugh.
"I get it," August said softly.
Another pause.
"Because that's exactly how I feel about you."
Klaus froze.
"I'm not giving up," August went on. "Whatever you feel for him right now—it won't last."
A step closer.
"I can wait."
Another breath.
"And when you realize how painful this is… how complicated—"
His voice dropped.
"I'll be there."
A pause.
"I'll always be there."
Klaus said nothing.
Because there was nothing he could say.
Steel rang.
Voices roared.
The doors burst open.
The moment shattered.
Klaus stepped forward.
Drew his blade—
a weapon made for nothing but killing—
and walked out to meet them.