The sound of a servant's footsteps echoed through the silent castle corridor, clear against the cold stone walls. His pace was quick, yet steady.
He stopped in front of a large door.
The door was tightly shut, but from the small gap beneath it, a faint light could still be seen—proof that the room's occupant had not yet rested.
Tok.
Tok.
Tok.
The knocks rang clearly in the stillness.
"Just come in."
The voice from inside sounded heavy and tired, as if each word had to be forced out after being used for too long.
"Excuse me."
The servant pushed the door slowly.
The hinges creaked softly, revealing the interior of a messy room.
There, Sieg sat in his chair.
His gray hair was disheveled and unkempt, far from the neat impression he usually maintained. A few strands even fell over his eyes. His clothes were slightly open at the collar, as if he no longer cared about his appearance.
His yellow eyes—usually sharp and calculating—now looked dim. Dark circles were clearly visible beneath them, showing severe lack of rest.
On the table, several books lay open in disarray. Notes were scribbled hastily, some parts even crossed out repeatedly, as if he kept forcing himself to understand something he had yet to fully grasp.
The air in the room felt heavy.
As if filled with lingering pressure that had not yet dissipated.
"Hmm, Prince… are you alright?"
The servant stepped a little closer, his voice filled with concern he could not hide. His gaze swept across the room—from the scattered books to Sieg's clearly unwell condition.
Sieg did not answer immediately.
He only raised his head slowly, his movement sluggish, as if his body refused to move more than necessary.
"Yeah…"
His voice was soft.
"…I just studied too late."
The answer was simple.
Too simple.
Yet behind those words, his mind was still trapped elsewhere.
Napoleon's voice echoed again—sharp, cold, uncompromising. Every sentence he spoke was not merely correction, but pressure that forced Sieg's way of thinking to change.
There was no room for mistakes.
Every argument was crushed, every gap questioned, every decision forced to have an absolute foundation.
And when Sieg tried to keep up…
he was dragged even deeper.
Faster.
Harsher.
As if there were no limits.
Sieg lowered his gaze back to the table.
His eyes moved slowly, rereading the notes before him—line after line filled with scribbles, revisions, and unfinished thoughts. Even as his head felt heavy and his vision occasionally blurred, Sieg still forced himself to focus.
The sound of the servant's footsteps still standing near the door finally pulled him back to reality.
"What is it?"
His tone was flat, though traces of fatigue still lingered.
"Yes, a merchant wishes to meet the Prince."
Sieg did not respond immediately. His fingers still held the page of the open book, as if reluctant to let go of his train of thought.
"Hmm… what's his name?"
"His name is Arnold."
For a moment, Sieg's movement stopped.
Only for a fraction of a second.
But enough to show that the name was not unfamiliar.
He closed his book slowly, then leaned back in his chair for a moment, letting his mind reorganize the fragments of information that surfaced.
"…Have him wait in the guest room."
"Yes, Prince."
The servant bowed respectfully before turning away. His footsteps faded, and soon the door closed again, leaving the room in silence.
But the silence did not last long.
From the window—
a shadow moved.
Without a sound, without warning, a figure dressed in dark clothing was already inside the room, as if it had emerged from the darkness itself.
An Auditore.
"Prince…"
His voice was low, almost like a whisper blending with the shadows.
Sieg did not seem surprised. He did not even fully turn, as if he had already expected the presence.
"It's been a long time since Arnold contacted us," he said quietly. "Did he bring someone?"
"Haa… no," the Auditore replied briefly, letting out a small sigh. "However, based on our observation… he is still loyal to the Oracle."
Sieg fell silent.
His eyes narrowed slightly, processing the information carefully.
Arnold.
An international merchant—someone who moved freely across various regions, reaching places beyond the grasp of ordinary authority. His business capital came from the Oracle, making him not just a merchant, but part of a larger network.
Someone useful.
But also… dangerous.
Especially—
he had been out of contact for two years.
Not a short time.
For someone like Arnold, two years was enough to change many things—loyalty, purpose, even identity.
Sieg tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
Once.
Twice.
Then he gave a small nod.
"I understand."
His tone remained calm, but his mind had already moved far ahead, arranging possibilities one after another.
Even if they were on the same side… it did not mean he could let his guard down.
Because in a world like this, loyalty was the easiest thing to change.
The Auditore then left as he came, while Sieg prepared to meet an old acquaintance.
…
A man with a slightly protruding belly sat in the guest room, his body tense despite his attempt to hide it. His fingers moved restlessly, rubbing and tapping without any clear pattern.
He wore his best clothes—a neat suit of fine fabric, polished shoes gleaming, even a faint scent of perfume lingering around him. Yet none of it was enough to hide the nervousness evident in his movements.
His gaze occasionally flicked toward the door.
Waiting.
The door finally opened.
Calm footsteps entered the room, accompanied by an aura that naturally pressed down on the atmosphere. Sieg appeared with an expression far more composed than before, as if the fatigue he showed earlier was now hidden beneath his controlled demeanor.
The moment the man's eyes caught the figure entering he flinched.
His body reflexively stood up.
"Arnold!"
Sieg's voice sounded light, even accompanied by a faint smile he rarely showed.
"It's been a while. I thought you were dead."
The tone sounded like a joke, yet still carried a subtle pressure—enough to remind who stood before him.
Arnold swallowed. An awkward smile slowly formed on his face—a mix of relief for still being able to stand here… and caution that had not fully disappeared.
"Prince Sieg! I—I welcome you."
He bowed slightly, trying to maintain a formal attitude, though it was clear he was not entirely at ease.
Sieg let out a soft sigh, then waved his hand lightly.
"Ah, I don't like that kind of formality."
He stepped closer, pulled a chair in front of Arnold, and sat down casually, yet still maintaining his oppressive aura.
"Aren't we friends?" he continued, his tone lighter, though his eyes remained sharp. "So… what exactly happened to you during these two years?"
The question struck straight at the core.
Arnold hesitated for a moment. His fingers began moving restlessly again on his knees before he finally opened his mouth.
"That… is because our company has grown rapidly," he said carefully. "The bigger it gets, the more eyes start watching me."
He paused briefly, swallowing.
"I can't move as freely as before."
His tone lowered, more serious.
"Even to come here… I had to do it discreetly."
His gaze briefly shifted around, ensuring no other ears were listening.
"I've entrusted the company to my son for the time being."
The sentence sounded simple.
Too simple.
"You… have a child?"
Sieg's tone did not change, remaining as calm as ever. Yet the question clearly carried weight.
Within the Oracle, there was an unwritten rule understood by all its members—
do not build a family before the goal is achieved.
Such bonds were considered a weakness.
Though… there were a few exceptions.
Arnold immediately stiffened. He raised both his hands slightly, as if trying to ease the situation.
"It's only an adopted child, Prince…" he said quickly, his tone slightly hurried. "My apologies for not informing you beforehand."
There was a brief pause after that.
"Hoo…"
Sieg's response was short.
Too short.
He leaned back slowly in his chair, his eyes fixed on Arnold without blinking. That gaze was no longer merely observing—it was testing, dissecting every small movement, every subtle change in expression that others might miss.
Silence for a moment.
Then—
"I will make an exception for this…"
Sieg's voice was calm, yet carried a decision that had already been considered.
"Seeing you come here alone… means you still think about your homeland."
Arnold lowered his head slightly, his breath sounding heavier, as if the burden he carried had finally found a place to be released.
"Yes… Prince," he replied softly. "Not a single day… have I stopped thinking about my homeland."
There was no hesitation in his voice.
No pretense.
Sieg watched him in silence.
He had read people long enough—more than enough to distinguish between a well-crafted lie and honesty that came from within. And what he saw now…
was something genuine.
Arnold was still the same.
Still loyal.
Both to the Oracle… and to the Kingdom of Melancia.
Sieg let out a slow breath.
The group he built was not merely a network of power or a shadow organization. He planted something deeper—a sense of identity.
Nationalism.
He forced each of his members to see themselves as part of Melancia. To understand the meaning of a homeland, not merely as a place of birth… but as something worth fighting for.
Something that must not fall.
To some, that method might sound like brainwashing.
But to Sieg, it was simply the most efficient way to build a foundation that would not easily collapse.
"Good to see you again… my friend."
His tone softened slightly. Not as a prince—
but as someone who had once placed trust in the person before him.
Arnold slowly raised his head. There was clear relief on his face, though he still maintained his composure.
"Yes… Prince."
Sieg leaned back, returning to his relaxed posture, yet his gaze remained sharp.
"Alright," he continued, "what business do you have meeting me?"
The question went straight to the point.
Arnold took a deep breath, as if preparing himself. His fingers moved briefly again before he finally straightened his posture.
"Prince… even if this sounds presumptuous, after I disappeared for two years…"
He paused for a moment.
Then looked directly at Sieg.
"…please entrust me with the economic affairs of this region!."
Silence fell.
The request was too big to be taken lightly.
"Hmm?"
A short sound escaped from Sieg.