Chapter 427

Danyerin was busy organizing her thoughts after reaching an agreement with Luna.

Grace might be oblivious, but Luna’s joining was completely unexpected.

However, this was even better. Though not as brilliant as Sivar, Luna was still a precious gem.

‘What stands out is her growth. She’s improving noticeably.’

Luna had entered the academy as the top student a year ago, drawing the attention of countless people.

But that attention dimmed slightly due to the unapproachable wildness of Sivar.

If Sivar was a dazzling sun, Luna was the moon.

A solitary light in the dark night sky. A person who only shines once the sun sets.

The commonality between the two was that they both hadn’t been properly sculpted yet. Anyone could become their master.

‘The sun and moon, what an oddly fitting pair.’

Luna spoke. Although she couldn’t reveal too much, she hinted that she would walk a path similar to Sivar’s.

Danyerin was curious about what that path entailed, but she’d learn in due time. She raised her head to gaze at the sky.

The full moon and the vividly flowing river of stars. You can’t put into words the taste of wine during such a moment.

‘But the sun and moon cannot coexist. I will keep the sun by my side.’

The sun and moon may walk the same path. But they can’t live together.

Thinking this, Danyerin raised her glass. It felt especially sweet today.

‘Luna should remain my hidden card. I’m curious about her ultimate goal too.’

Danyerin’s goal was the throne of the emperor. But Luna seemed to tread a slightly different path.

It was to maneuver Sivar onto the right path. Quite distant from politics.

It was closer to a romantic entanglement, one of the trickiest parts of all.

‘That crown prince of the Matra Empire is a headache too…’

The prince currently wielding power wasn’t the only concern. Karas couldn’t be underestimated either.

He was someone who was always eyeing Sivar. A powerful person whose ascendance to the throne was pretty much a given.

Even if she found herself on the throne, she couldn’t let her guard down around Karas.

‘At least it’s a relief that Sivar finds Karas a bit unsettling.’

Danyerin was well aware of Karas’s reputation. A person fitting of madness more than anyone else.

But madness can transform into something beyond instinct the moment it meets ability. So-called eccentricity.

Karas’s abilities were exceptional enough to realize ideals. She couldn’t let her guard down.

‘Being a man is a blessing from the heavens.’

If Karas had been a woman, she might have thought the world was terribly unfair.

No matter how hard she tried, she wouldn’t have had any advantages over Karas.

Of course, she knew what kind of adversities he had faced. He must have gone through a perilous journey, just like her.

That’s why she was confident she understood Karas’s personality better than anyone.

‘He is a person who would gladly sacrifice his own body. Just like me.’

If Sivar had been indiscriminate about gender, she would have desperately kept a watchful eye.

But Sivar was a man who loved women more than anyone else. She saw none of those tendencies.

Recalling how Sivar would react every time she teased him, Danyerin drank her wine.

“So…?”

She softly set her glass down, noting that Sivar hadn’t come for a clandestine meeting today.

The reason he hadn’t shown up was trivial. It seemed Grace had grown suspicious of him or something.

So, the presence she felt behind her was not Sivar. It was someone completely different.

“What brings you here today?”

Danyerin turned to ask. As she did, she saw darkness that didn’t even reflect the moonlight.

Soon, out of that darkness, a woman appeared.

“I have something to discuss.”

The woman in question was Lee Yeon-joo from Johan. Danyerin looked her up and down.

She was wearing that black outfit that wrapped around her entire body like last time. Her curves were undeniably highlighted.

Danyerin leaned against the railing and asked in a slightly tipsy voice.

“Aren’t you hot? It’s summer and must be pretty warm.”

“It’s better than my homeland. Our country’s heat is brutal.”

Yeon-joo shot back with a playful banter. Danyerin, hearing that response, offered the wine bottle.

“Care for a drink?”

Yeon-joo narrowed her eyes at the invitation.

“Aren’t we a bit too distant to share a drink?”

“That stings. I thought we were already in the same boat.”

“We’re bound by a contract.”

Yeon-joo scoffed. That slippery woman was utterly untrustworthy.

They joined forces for the liberation of her country, but it was hard to trust her fully.

Danyerin seemed to understand Yeon-joo’s thoughts as she spoke with her signature teasing expression.

“Fine. I guess no drink then. Still a child, are we?”

“Who’s a child…? Huh.”

Yeon-joo felt a surge of emotions and managed to suppress it. At the same time, Sivar came to mind.

During the day, Sivar was teased for being childlike, and now Danyerin was teasing her. They made quite the pair.

“Anyway, I come bearing interesting news.”

“What news? A parent observation day for the first years?”

“Seems you’re somewhat in the loop. All I’ve seen is you drinking every night.”

“Unlike some who work at night.”

A sharp retort. Anyone could tell it was a jab at Yeon-joo.

Yeon-joo, having no objection, let the remark slide.

“Have you heard who’s coming?”

“Well, I’m not sure about that.”

“The head of the Namgung Family.”

“……”

-Stop!

Danyerin, who was about to pour herself more wine after Yeon-joo’s revelation, froze.

It was significant enough to make her body halt. She remained in that position.

After pondering for a while, she poured herself some wine before speaking.

“Surprisingly, I thought they were a rather heavy-handed bunch.”

“They have something worth sharing that’s got them interested enough to lift that weight.”

The Namgung Family was one of the most prestigious clans in the Eastern Empire.

The Hwan Empire follows the unique culture of a ‘non-interference’ between the government and martial arts. They do not meddle in each other’s affairs.

However, due to the turmoil within the imperial family, the government had become quite unstable, raising the family’s influence.

The Namgung Family was leading that current, and their head was known to be quite capable.

Naturally, their influence had to be considerable. They wouldn’t just intervene in trivial matters.

“Are you referring to Sivar?”

However, if something had garnered even the head of the Namgung Family’s attention, that made things different.

An academy student who was said to have competed equally with the destruction king, Hector.

What if that student were an assistant teaching a class that included members of the family?

“Well, you’re sharp. Nothing’s confirmed yet, but at least that’s my hunch. They’d want to see him in person out of curiosity.”

“Hmm.”

Danyerin lifted her glass. There were now many things to ponder.

Families like the Namgung Family do not support any specific faction within the imperial family.

Winning side = Allies. They will pledge loyalty to the victor.

It’s a bat-like mindset, but it can’t be helped. A noble family is still just a family.

In the face of the imperial family, which houses the army—considered the most potent military in human history—they’re no more than a candle in a storm.

‘That’s the most meticulous path.’

However, maintaining neutrality is akin to not offering assistance. It’s a double-edged sword.

In the end, one must support the side that seems likely to win to avoid future repercussions on their family.

Those of the position of a head of the family would likely have a grasp of the relationship between Sivar and Danyerin.

‘How intriguing.’

Danyerin played with her lips, her smile blooming without effort.

Hector’s military prowess is said to rival that of an army.

Generals of the Hwan Empire feel helpless in front of Hector. That’s how strong he is.

So, with rumors spreading that Sivar is as strong as Hector… things were starting to get exciting.

“Setting aside the fact that the family head is coming, what about your folks? What are they up to now?”

“They’ll show up eventually. I’m sure they want to verify how strong Sivar really is.”

“They’ll resort to any means to provoke a display of power.”

“That worries me a bit.”

Many treat rumors as just that. Thus, they’d want to see it with their own eyes.

In many ways, things had gotten complicated. Danyerin drank the remaining wine and spoke.

“So, what’s your reason for sharing this information with me?”

“When you gather important information later, share it with me. Consider this a debt.”

“Information…”

Danyerin trailed off, recalling an intriguing event from earlier.

Eventually, she smirked and shared with Yeon-joo.

“There’s a saying in Johan.”

“What saying?”

“A pumpkin rolled in from the vines.”

“?”

Yeon-joo raised an eyebrow. It was a reaction clearly asking what that was about.

“Is it a good meaning that makes you more curious? Did something happen?”

“I’m afraid I can’t say more than that. It’s tied to personal matters, and it relates to my life.”

“Seems you’ve entangled yourself with someone else in exchange for a weakness?”

“As I mentioned before, I cannot disclose it.”

“Hmm…”

Yeon-joo squinted her eyes at Danyerin. Danyerin simply wore her trademark smug smile.

The slight tipsiness made it hard to discern her true thoughts. In the end, she just shrugged it off.

“Well, I’ll have to look into it myself. They seem like someone from our circles.”

“It should be entertaining.”

“I hope so. I’ll be heading out now.”

With those words, Yeon-joo leaped down from the railing. Not a sound was made at all.

Danyerin drank the last of her wine and returned to her room. Then she slowly sank into the soft bed.

A pleasant buzz and the comfort of the bed from behind. Perfect conditions for sleep to creep in.

“Hehe…”

She looked up at the dark ceiling and let out a faint smile.

A familiar man’s face kept appearing drawn against the ceiling. The charmingly silly expression he wore was captivating.

Was her face flush from the drink, or was it something else? She just kept smiling.

‘Does it even matter what it is?’

Just thinking about it felt nice. She hadn’t experienced anything like this in her life.

Having someone she could truly trust, not just romantically.

‘I must never lose this.’

Danyerin slowly closed her eyes.

‘Never.’

*****

[Faith is increasing!]

“What?”

Upon waking up in the morning, a message appeared.

What’s this?

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