“Sorry for the late introduction,” Dior said with a deep sigh after taking off his helmet once Eugene and the others entered the tent and sat down. The face that was revealed belonged to a young, beautiful man, and he looked as young as he sounded.

“My name is Dior Hyman. I am a member of the Violent Tide Knights and an aide to Princess Scalia,” continued Dior.

“Hyman?” Cyan was the first to respond. After blurting out the name, he stared intently at Dior’s face for a while. “Are you perhaps Sir Ortus Hyman’s….”

“I’m his son,” answered Dior.

Ortus Hyman was the name of the First Knight, the Commander of the Violent Tide Knights, and the one who stood at the peak of the Shimuin’s Twelve Finest.

Eugene also searched his memory after hearing Dior’s introduction. He recalled hearing the name while receiving education at the house of the Lionheart clan’s main branch. If his memory served correctly, Dior was the same age as the late Eward, two years older than Eugene and the twins. The Hyman family was one of the most prestigious, skilled families of knights in Shimuin, and Ortus Hyman was a name that was always brought up when discussing the continent’s finest warriors. As a result, the children of the Lionheart clan were cautioned to be wary of the one named Dior ever since they were young.

‘They said he was heads and shoulders above the others ever since he was young,’ Eugene recalled.

With their interests piqued, similar to Cyan, Ciel and Eugene also observed Dior. He was clearly outstanding for his age, but it only seemed so because Eugene’s standards were too high. Truthfully, the aura he emitted was great enough for him to be considered a member of the Violent Tide Knights. However, he felt a little lacking, considering that he was the son of Shimuin’s First Knight. Leo, Alchester’s son, was a genius even by Eugene’s standards, and even Cyan and Ciel were top talents of the Lionheart family, though they were overshadowed by Eugene. But what about Dior? Indeed, he seemed strong and talented, but… it wasn’t astoundingly so.

‘Well, I’m sure what’s on the surface isn’t everything.’

When Eugene had seen the Shimuin duo through his flame, Dior had noticed his presence, while Scalia failed to do so. Their gazes had even met, so Eugene did not want to judge Dior’s skills hastily.

“I ask for your understanding regarding Princess Scalia’s attitude,” said Dior. Scalia had acted violently while leaning on her royal authority, but Dior, her aide, did not attempt to follow her example. But he wasn’t dismissing Scalia either. Instead, he continued taking glances at Scalia to check her condition. As evidenced by earlier conversation, Scalia didn’t seem to be in her right mind. She was chewing on her chapped lips while pulling on her hair, wrapping it around her finger.

Dior gave a deep sigh before parting his lips, “Princess.”

“Stop, Dior. I know what you are trying to say. So don’t bother saying it. My royal self will not do as you say,” responded Scalia.

“But Princess, don’t you feel that the symptoms of your disease are quite serious?” asked Dior, trying to sound rational.

“Symptoms? Disease? I am just tired from a lack of sleep. How could you call this a disease?” asked Scalia, glaring at Dior with bloodshot eyes. “I am completely fine. The climate of this land is vastly different from that of Shimuin, which is why I haven’t completely adapted yet. Once I rest, I will be well in a few days at the latest. So, Dior, stop yourself from speaking any words that I don’t want to hear.”

In the face of Scalia’s stubbornness, Dior couldn’t think of anything to say.

“My royal self will walk around for a while. You, young lions of the Lionheart clan, if you wish to go with me, you may stay. But if you are planning to disturb me, leave quickly,” saying so, Scalia leaped up from her seat. The hood of her helmet fell and covered her face. Dior quickly stood up and attempted to follow her, but she turned her head and glared at him in response. “Do not follow me. My royal self will not go far. I feel distracted and dizzy, so I just want to walk around by myself for a little while.”

“But….”

“I know that you are concerned, but I will not listen to you,” said Scalia in a sharp voice before jerking away. Dior stood in place for a moment, staring at Scalia’s back with worry.

“She… must be very sensitive,” said Cyan after a moment.

He was trying his best to keep his expression under control, but a mark had already been left on Cyan’s tender heart. Even though it had been well over a year since talk of marriage between him and Princess Scalia began, he had been called all sorts of mean names instead of a kind greeting.

‘Even the King of Ruhr recognized me and patted me on the shoulder,’ Cyan mused, dejected.

It felt as if his heart had been broken before he even got to meet her properly. The wound in Cyan’s heart only widened with each passing moment, causing his shoulders to droop.

“The princess suffered from mild insomnia even when we were back in Shimuin,” said Dior with a bitter smile after taking a seat once more. “As is the case with these kinds of illnesses, the princess’ insomnia is a disease of the heart. Still, she managed to sleep, albeit very lightly, when she was in Shimuin. However, she has barely slept at all after we’ve arrived in this snowy field.”

“I can help with that,” Kristina spoke up for the first time. “I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Kristina Rogeris of the Holy Empire.”

“Ah… the Saint Candidate?” asked Dior.

“Yes.”

“You said you could help, but what exactly do you mean by that?” asked Dior.

“Of the divine magic I know, one of the spells calms the uneasy mind and leads the restless mind to a peaceful sleep. Sir Dior, as you said, most cases of insomnia are diseases of the heart that are hard to cure, but I’m sure my divine magic could help to alleviate some of the princess’ burdens,” answered Kristina.

She wasn’t thinking of the benefits that would come from helping the princess. Although she had received coercive education, Kristina was still a priestess. It was her duty to lead the suffering to the peace of Light. Even Anise had been extremely delinquent, especially considering her role as the Saint, but had never hesitated to help others in need.

“It didn’t seem like insomnia was the problem,” said Eugene. “That’s what she said just now. The princess said she could fall asleep whenever she wanted.”

Indeed, Princess Scalia had brought up the topic of taking a break. But immediately after taking a seat and feeling languid, she resisted. She had chewed on her lips, ripped her hair, and forced her eyes open. Moreover, she had gone for a walk — which Eugene suspected was to shake off the feeling of drowsiness.

“I dare not speak easily of the princess’ situation,” said Dior, looking out the tent with an awkward expression. The snow and the wind were getting stronger, and Scalia could no longer be seen.

The Princess Knight was a nickname that acted as the symbol representing the Kingdom of Knights, Shimuin, and its royal family. Although it was true that Scalia rose to the position of the Vice Commander of the Violent Tide Knights partially because of her status, it was also undeniable that she was skilled enough to be recognized within the Violent Tide Knights as well. Even if there were monsters that could threaten her in the depths of the Lehainjar Snowy Mountains, she certainly would not run into any problems in the snowy field they were currently traversing.

“I must go find the princess,” Dior said after a brief silence. He knew better than anyone how skilled she was, but that didn’t mean he could simply leave her alone. Scalia had been acting strange lately, and this, too, was something Dior knew all too well.

“We will get going then,” said Eugene before quickly rising from his seat. But he realized belatedly that everyone except Dior was staring at him with surprise.

“Yes. I look forward to seeing you in Lehain,” Dior responded calmly. He was the only one who seemed unfazed by Eugene’s response.

Dior exited through the tent’s flap, and Cyan stared at Eugene with a dumbfounded expression. “We’re leaving? Why?”

“What do you mean why? Why not, you punk? What else would we do besides leave?” asked Eugene.

“Well…. Sir Dior looked a little troubled, so we could help them out and…” mumbled Cyan.

“What is there to help him with? It’s not like Princess Scalia is a child. She only went out for a short walk, so why should we help search for someone we have nothing to do with?” Eugene asked, exasperated.

“That’s true, but…” muttered Cyan with drooping shoulders.

“Wouldn’t Princess Scalia be in need of my help?” asked Kristina.

“I told you earlier, right? It’s not that Princess Scalia can’t sleep; it’s that she’s not sleeping on purpose. I don’t know exactly what it is, but she’s not normal.”

“Eugene is right,” Ciel piped in, nodding. “Princess Scalia is not normal. Even now, she almost attacked us, right? It means she’s incapable of distinguishing what’s right in front of her eyes. She’s not in the right state of mind. However, it’s even more annoying because she’s Shimuin’s princess. So even if we are the Lionhearts, there’s nothing we can do against her.”

Kristina and Cyan did not argue any further after hearing Ciel and Eugene’s opinions.

Can I come out now? Mer asked from inside Eugene’s cloak.

Instead of answering, however, Eugene tightened the cloak around him. But it wasn’t out of spite. Mer realized Eugene’s intent and let out a small, surprised sound.

“…Ah,” Kristina exclaimed as well. Although she could not read Eugene’s mind, Anise had spoken from inside her mind. Kristina placed her hand on the flail on her waist with a stiff expression. They found themselves in an even stronger snowstorm once they exited the tent. Abel took the lead once more, and the group began cutting through the blizzard.

“Don’t get too far from the group,” Eugene cautioned.

It wasn’t their first time traveling through a snowstorm, but the warning felt quite unusual for Cyan and Ciel. However, they didn’t ask any questions. Eugene’s voice was as cold as the swirling snow; the finality in it meant the table wasn’t open for any discussions or questions. The following silence only intensified the tension. Cyan took off Gedon’s Shield from his back and placed it on his left arm, though he couldn’t give an exact reason for his behavior. Ciel grabbed the pommel of the Phantom Rain Sword, which was hidden inside her cloak.

Eugene was the first to sense the change. But instead of speaking out, he activated the White Flame Formula. Cyan and Ciel halted their steps at the sudden activation of mana.

Fwoosh!

Kristina called on the Light and pushed the blizzard away. Wings of Light unfolded brilliantly to encompass their surroundings, and a large cross enveloped in a circle appeared beneath their feet.

Eugene turned around. The snow did not invade the holy formation, and he could see that someone stood on the far side of the blizzard outside the circle. It was none other than Princess Scalia.

“Something’s…” mumbled Cyan.

He stared at Scalia while holding Gedon’s Shield. Although the blizzard was raging quite strongly, he could make out her face if he focused hard enough.

Something was wrong. It was similar to what he had felt before, but Scalia was even stranger now. Her eyes were rather dim and out of focus earlier, but now, they had no focus at all. Even though Scalia’s eyes were open, they were utterly devoid of any light, as if they belonged to the dead.

“Where is Sir Dior…?”

“Pay for your sins with death!” Scalia roared before Cyan could finish. Her face was displayed inside her helmet, and dark blue mana wrapped and soared from her figure.

Boom!

The snow around her scattered and evaporated in an instant. Scalia charged forward through the blizzard.

“Princess!” However, Dior ran forward and blocked her path before anything else happened. He opened his arms wide in front of Scalia and shouted in a bewildered voice. “P-please stop! They are from the Lionheart—”

“Do you dare to stand in the way of my royal self!? You are not worthy!” roared Scaila before swinging down at Dior without hesitation. She wasn’t attacking to threaten him but rather trying to cleave his body in half. Dior belatedly drew his own sword in surprise.

Clang!

Although he had been late to draw his blade, Dior managed to deflect Scalia’s blow without any difficulty. Moreover, his posture wasn’t disturbed even the slightest, even though he had received her blow from the bottom.

“Ah…!” Cyan stepped forward to help, but Eugene raised his arm and blocked his path. Cyan looked at Eugene with shock. “What!? Why?”

“Hold on a second,” said Eugene without any further explanation.

Boom!

Another explosion resounded. Scalia had swung down her sword like an axe with a grimace, and Dior received her blow once more without backing down. He was quite skilled. Eugene had assumed that Dior had been hiding his skills earlier, and as expected, Dior showed prowess befitting or even greater than what was expected from the son of Shimuin’s First Knight to block Scalia’s fierce offensive. It was difficult to estimate exactly how much mana he was outputting, but it was pretty clear that Dior had an advantage over the Vice Commander of the Violent Tide Knights when it came to sword-light.

Scalia was out of her mind, but her blade was not dulled by the influence on her mind. Instead, Scalia was wielding her sword with all her might precisely because she was not in her right mind. But, even so, she could not best Dior.

“Ugh…!” Dior was genuinely at a loss. Although he had intervened in a hurry, he had no idea why Princess Scalia was running rampant. The only thing that was clear was that Princess Scalia did not recognize the Lionhearts or him. .𝘤𝘰

“You dirty, scumbag pirates. Have you followed my royal self out of the sea all the way to this white land? You, aren’t you the mercenary I killed earlier? How is it that you’re still alive? Aha! That’s right! You must have sold your soul to an evil demon!” shouted Scalia. It was impossible to understand what she was saying at all.

That wasn’t the only problem either. Dior didn’t want to expose himself to the young lions of the Lionheart clan. However, it wasn’t as if he could leave Princess Scalia to turn her sword against them either.

‘Let’s focus on subduing her…’ Dior thought fast.

There would be no end in sight if he only focused on defending. As such, Dior was left with no choice but to come to a compromise. He would properly subdue Princess Scalia. After making up his mind, he tightened his grip on his sword.

He made one last eye contact with Princess Scalia as if to ask for her understanding. He could see her dull eyes nesting inside her helmet, her lifeless, dim eyes….

“Princess Scal—”

Dior was never given an opportunity to finish. The distance between him and Princess Scalia was short enough for proper eye contact, and as soon as he peered into her eyes, it felt as if the distance between them had shortened. Had it, really? No, the only thing that had approached him was the gaze.

‘Her eyes.’

Dior stiffened up like a stone statue. He found himself unable to control his body, let alone wield his sword.

“This body is too weak.”

He heard a voice coming from inside Scalia’s helmet. The voice belonged to her, but the one speaking wasn’t Princess Scalia.

“Or is the host too weak? Well, there’s nothing to be expected from a low-ranking incubus.”

Scalia’s Exid helmet opened wide, and she raised her head as her coral hair spilled out like a waterfall. Countless stars were born in her lightless eyes.

This was Forced Slumber, Oneric Cascade. There were no warning signs nor any wavering mana. As soon as the target was captured in sight, they could be forced to slumber at will. It was a power that any high-ranking Night Demon could use, and she was stronger than any of the Night Demons. In her case, she could force almost anyone to sleep. The activation of the ability signaled the end. Just like its name, Oneric Cascade, the one afflicted would be led to a world of endless, cascading dreams the moment they fell asleep.

“Oh my,” said Scalia with surprise. She had planned to put everyone to sleep but had clearly failed. Only two people had fallen asleep, and her skill had been interrupted as well. The two people on their knees were simply sleeping, not affected by Oneric Cascade.

“Divine barrier…. It sure is amazing, but I didn’t think something made quick and dirty could block me like this.” The one speaking was the Queen of the Night Demons, Noir Giabella. She painted a smile on Scalia’s face while tilting her head.

Although she gave a relaxed smile, Noir’s mind was turning nonstop. Her main body was in the Forest of Dark Shadows, located far from here in Helmuth. She could be here solely because she was using the body of a low-ranking incubus, one active in Rosrok, as a vessel. As a result, Noir wasn’t capable of using the full extent of her power nor her Demoneye of Fantasy. But she had never imagined she would need it in the first place. Bullying Scalia in her dreams had only been a mischievous prank, though she had eventually taken control of Scalia’s body after she fell asleep.

‘I was going to lead them to their dreams and have a taste….’

Noir’s smile grew deeper.

“That’s funny,” she said. Even at this moment, she was continuing to use Forced Slumber. However, Kristina and Eugene were unaffected.

“What are you?” asked Noir with curiosity.

Updated from .𝘤𝘰