The scene shifted to the cold, opulent halls of North Ryehem's Imperial Palace.
Inside a grand chamber adorned with crimson drapes and banners bearing the sigil of a black eagle, Emperor Vareon sat silently, sipping his evening tea. The scent of herbs filled the room, but there was tension in the air.
A shadow slipped into the chamber.
It was one of his personal spies — pale, breathless, and clearly shaken.
"Lord… our plan has… failed."
Vareon's hand froze mid-air, the porcelain cup still near his lips.
"What do you mean… failed?" His voice was low, calm, and dangerous.
The spy swallowed hard.
"I… I don't know if it's coincidence, fate, or manipulation… but every strand leads back to one person."
Vareon narrowed his eyes.
"Say his name."
The spy hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Kazuki Ayanami."
A terrible stillness fell upon the room. The Emperor's expression didn't change, but the faintest flicker of interest glimmered in his cold gaze.
"Explain."
The scene shifted — to the outskirts of the palace, where the head of the imperial spies, an older man cloaked in black, was hurrying toward the throne room with the exact same report. But before he could even reach the Emperor's hall, a soldier intercepted him.
"Commander, the Emperor already knows. He's… been informed."
The commander's face darkened.
"Already? That fast…" He gritted his teeth. "Damn that boy. Just what kind of monster are we dealing with?"
Back in South Ryehem.
Inside the bustling Royal Court of South Ryehem, ministers, generals, and noble families were gathered. Word of the North Ryehem incident had already reached them.
Emperor Vareon stood before the gathered assembly, his voice cold and commanding.
"From this moment onward… we are to be cautious of one name. Kazuki Ayanami."
A wave of murmurs rippled through the court.
"Kazuki Ayanami…?""Isn't he… just a child?""An eight-year-old boy, what could he possibly be plotting?"
The Emperor silenced them with a raised hand.
"You fools," Vareon growled. "We underestimated him once. I will not allow it to happen again. I don't know how… I don't know when… but the threads of fate, strategy, and power seem to twist around that boy. And after what happened today, I suspect his plans run far deeper than we imagined."
The grand hall buzzed with uncertainty and fear. To think that a boy — not even ten — could disrupt the schemes of kings and emperors.
One noble muttered to himself.
"If this child has already shaken kingdoms before even coming of age… what happens when he becomes a man?"
For the first time in years, the court of North Ryehem felt a chill of dread.