"Although it may sound like I'm speaking badly about someone behind their back, Your Highness… I feel that Princess Renner is not suited to become queen… she's far too dangerous."
Euphilia placed a small hand over her chest and spoke with an extremely serious expression.
She was an intelligent, kind, and upright girl, someone who would normally never speak ill of others behind their backs, nor resort to petty schemes when unable to win fairly.
Therefore, this was not an attempt at deliberate slander.
It was a sincere judgment.
Advice given with complete seriousness.
This was not about eliminating a rival, but rather warning Leon, even at the risk of losing her own place in his heart.
"Yes… indeed."
Leon nodded slightly, accepting the advice.
At the same time, as if the gesture had already been repeated thousands of times before, he raised his hand and gently scratched beneath her delicate chin, like someone pampering a precious cat.
Euphilia immediately narrowed her eyes in pure comfort and nestled even deeper into Leon's arms, letting out soft sounds of satisfaction.
The atmosphere became strangely peaceful.
Like a silent pause before an important decision.
Although he had promised that, if she conquered a great kingdom, Renner could become his wife… now it was inevitable to reconsider whether that decision had been too hasty.
Leon had always been someone driven by results.
He didn't care about the darkness of the process, as long as his subordinates fulfilled their duties.
Even so, his ideal remained clear:
To create a utopia where no one suffered.
Where no one was unhappy.
Leon had no problem eliminating every villain.
A world made up only of "good people" did not seem like a bad idea to him.
However…
Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself.
That woman definitely did not fit into any of that.
Despite her flawless reputation, known as the Golden Princess and admired for her countless charitable works, all of it was nothing more than a mask.
A carefully constructed façade.
She wore the skin of an angel to hide a nature so twisted it would make even demons tremble.
That was the purest and most perverse form of innate evil.
"Seriously… she's exceptionally good at hiding everything."
Leon narrowed his eyes slightly, as though piecing together a puzzle.
"If I hadn't directly recovered the world's memories through the World Tree… perhaps you really could have hidden everything forever. But the fact that you acted with such caution… means this was never merely paranoia. It seems you already suspected my connection with Night Raid."
His mind analyzed every detail with precision.
Now that Renner had taken control, Re-Estize had already become a formidable power.
Her brothers had been eliminated.
The king, her own father, had been reduced to a puppet.
Many people around the world had already noticed changes within that kingdom.
Before, Re-Estize had been known for its crude and primitive brutality.
Now it had become refined and elegant.
Anyone even slightly informed could tell that the kingdom was being transformed, guided toward something "perfect."
But no one knew the truth.
No one except Leon.
Because there were no records, no proof, not even a trace of evidence regarding her actions.
Renner had been meticulous to the extreme.
To conceal the cruelty of her methods, she had completely eliminated every possibility of information leaking out.
Does a perfect crime exist?
For an ordinary human mind, perhaps not.
But for someone like her…
Erasing every trace was trivial.
If she wished to commit a crime, not even the greatest detectives in the world would find a single flaw.
Because she was simply terrifying.
Not even Leon's Night Raid, nor Yelan, a specialist in investigations, had managed to uncover a single clue.
That alone already proved how absurd Renner's capabilities truly were.
And the reason she hid herself was obvious.
Deep down, she knew her methods—and her very nature—were completely incompatible with Leon.
They would never be accepted.
Never acknowledged.
Never forgiven.
Euphilia was right.
That woman possessed no humanity whatsoever.
She would trample over any form of ethics.
Destroy any kind of beauty.
Mock even familial bonds.
She had gone so far as to use the very girl who raised her as a bargaining chip, fully prepared to sacrifice her in exchange for power.
It was absurd and ridiculous.
And yet, all of it remained hidden beneath a flawless surface.
A false purity.
But Leon knew the truth.
"Fortunately… the World Tree recorded everything."
He let out a soft sigh.
"There really are terrifying women in this world… If I had known this beforehand, perhaps I never would have made that agreement."
In his previous life, there had been an old saying:
The heavens see all things.
And those who act recklessly will inevitably pay the price.
But Leon didn't need evidence.
Nor clues.
To him, the truth was absolute.
As someone who possessed the authority of the World Tree, nothing in this world could be hidden from him.
Everything that happened, he knew.
A demigod with authority bordering on omniscience.
He had seen everything.
Every step Renner took.
Every corpse she left behind.
Every sea of blood buried beneath the perfect flower field she had created.
"…Even if my standards aren't particularly high, as long as they're not just a beautiful vase, still…"
Leon let out another sigh, clearly troubled.
"Her interior is completely rotten."
Without a doubt, she was the darkest woman he had ever met.
He did not despise evil women.
But Renner no longer fit the definition of a "woman."
It would be more appropriate to call her a monster.
"Yes, yes… this really is troublesome."
Leon smiled bitterly.
"If she truly offers me the Kingdom of Warriors… then, according to our agreement, I'll have no choice but to take her as my wife."
Those words caused Euphilia's heart to tremble.
Her eyes quivered for a moment.
But soon she realized something.
Leon was not worried in the slightest.
"…Your Highness, you don't seem concerned."
"How could I not be? I'm very concerned."
"Even so… I feel relieved now."
Euphilia smiled softly.
Even without knowing exactly what Leon's plan was, she was certain of one thing:
That man would never be controlled by anyone.
Leon shrugged.
If Renner truly fulfilled her promise, then he would have to fulfill his as well.
But that woman clearly had other objectives.
Dangerous intentions filled with unpredictable variables.
Because of that, he was in no rush.
"Anyway… let's put the Kingdom of Warriors aside for now."
His gaze returned to the present.
"It's time to act on this side. After all… I asked Mordred to prepare a surprise for them."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Euphilia nodded.
Reluctantly, she rose from Leon's lap.
The moment she did, her demeanor completely changed.
From a lovestruck girl into a refined noblewoman, a perfect diplomat worthy of her ducal lineage.
But even without needing any warning, Mordred was already prepared.
Outside the camp—
"I am Lancelot. In the name of the King of Knights, I have come to challenge the knight Mordred!"
"I am Gawain. Likewise, under the orders of the King of Knights, I have come to challenge Mordred!"
The two greatest knights of the Round Table appeared at the same time.
And yet, Mordred did not show the slightest trace of nervousness.
Holding her sword, she looked at her former comrades with a smile full of interest.
"Ah… so that's what this is?"
She tilted her head slightly, laughing.
"My father—ah, I mean, the King of Knights—sent the two of you to kill me, Lancelot, Gawain?"
Her smile widened, filled with provocation.
"Then… I won't hold back."
(End of Chapter)