How long had she endured for this very moment?

Leonia had imagined sinking her fangs into those two’s throats and ending their lives—thousands, tens of thousands of times over.

But now, that fantasy had finally become possible.

‘Is this why enemies-to-lovers stories are so popular?’

Leonia felt as though she were about to develop a taste she could never accept in her previous life.

Of course, the door to that new world would only open after she had thoroughly hunted down those wretched creatures.

Leonia turned her mind to the final pieces remaining.

“The crown prince’s appointment, the confiscation of Olor’s title, the trial of the Olor father and son...”

She overturned the golden eagle on the chessboard and replaced it with a new one.

This time, it was a custom-ordered piece with a far more imposing and fierce expression.

She then moved a few chess pieces toward the red swan.

These were the noble houses who had filed lawsuits against Olor.

The Bosgruni family, where Ardea—the assault victim—belonged. Urmariti, who had ground his teeth waiting for this day. Ortio, who hadn’t been paid for the magical potion he had been asked to craft by Olor.

Then, the Imperial Academy, whose building had been damaged in the attack, was represented by the owl piece.

“And the finishing move...”

Leonia placed the last piece.

“Voreoti.”

The black lion stood face-to-face with the red swan.

All Olor had left, having sold off even his guild to pay reparations, was the hollow title and the disgrace he’d racked up over the years—plus his already-tarnished connection to Consort Usia.

And even Consort Usia had turned her back on him long ago.

“All that remains for him now must be despair and hell.”

Leonia showed the completed chessboard to Ferio.

“What do you think?”

“Not quite perfect.”

“What? I did great!”

The child pouted. Ferio, who had been watching, rose from his seat and approached her.

He pointed to the two whale pieces—one jade, one orange—behind the red swan.

“What do you plan to do with these?”

“Oh, those two? They’re not worth my attention.”

Leonia spun the whales lazily with her finger.

“They’re just chess pieces at best.”

Grinning like a little beast, she pushed the whales back behind the red swan.

“Let them rebel if they want.”

“You’ll leave them alone since they’re under surveillance?”

Ferio’s lips curled into a faint smile as he asked.

“Let them try. Who cares?”

Leonia didn’t care what Aust did anymore.

“These bastards are already—”

She was just about to move a piece when—

BANG. The door slammed open, and Tra burst in, scanning the room for the beastly father and daughter, his expression urgent.

Ferio and Leonia stepped forward at once, alarmed by the butler’s grim face.

“Master! Young Miss!”

“Milady has collapsed!”

***

“I didn’t collapse.”

Varia, reclining on the bed, gave an awkward smile.

“I just stumbled a little while reaching for a book.”

She’d climbed onto a chair to grab a book from the top shelf, lost her balance, and landed safely using the fall-absorbing technique she’d learned from Leonia.

Unfortunately, Tra happened to witness the entire scene.

What embarrassed her the most wasn’t the stumble—it was the flashy landing.

And she was only in bed now because Tra had made such a fuss and wouldn’t leave her alone.

“Look. No injuries, not even a scratch on my clothes. Tra totally overreacted.”

“What were you doing getting a book in the first place?”

“Don’t read books! Will the world end if you don’t read for once?”

Seeing his wife in bed made Ferio’s and Leonia’s hearts lurch—and they launched into a full-on tirade with no chance for her to defend herself.

“...I think I’m the one who’s going to get sick now.”

“Where does it hurt? It must be a delayed reaction. Tra, fetch the physician!”

“Could it be your back? A back injury would be serious!”

“No, my ears.”

With an overprotective husband and daughter, Varia felt as if her ears might start bleeding.

“Enough, already.”

Her firm tone finally shut the roaring beasts up.

Still, the two of them clung to her fingers and kept fretting.

“From now on, have someone fetch your books. I’ll raise the staff wages, so put them to work properly.”

“You’re raising wages just so they can get books for me?”

“Want me to read to you instead? Mom, what book were you trying to get?”

“So Leonia’s going to read etiquette books now?”

“For the sake of economic stimulus, maybe we should hire a professional reader.”

The onslaught of concern showed no signs of stopping. Varia resigned herself to simply listening.

After all, it was her actions that caused the worry.

“Madam.”

Tra, who had been quietly observing the dramatic household, spoke up.

“Hasn’t this been happening more frequently lately?”

His concern stemmed from the growing number of small mistakes Varia had been making.

“You’ve been saying you’re tired twice as often, and you stumble at least once a day now.”

“Tra, have you been tailing me?”

Varia gawked.

“...This is serious.”

Ferio’s brow creased with the deepest frown she’d seen in a long while.

She looked at him with a ‘you can’t be serious’ face—but this time, Ferio wouldn’t back down.

“I really think we should call a physician. And cut back on your duties.”

“It’s normal to stumble while walking sometimes.”

Insisting she was perfectly healthy, Varia emphasized her point.

“I never stumble.”

“Me neither!”

Unfortunately, to the world’s sturdiest beastly father and daughter, stumbling while walking was an unforgivable weakness.

“Well, I did stumble sometimes when I was little.”

Leonia recalled her scrawny seven-year-old self. That made Varia smile brightly.

But Ferio was quick to shoot her down.

“Leonia was a small lump back then. You, Varia, are a full-grown adult.”

Varia’s lips drooped.

“Dad, did you just call me a lump?”

And Leonia, now reduced to a “lump,” was dumbfounded.

“Anyway, it’s best to get checked by the physician.”

“Ferio, I really—”

“Otherwise, I’ll tie you to the bed.”

Ferio’s firm warning trailed off. He paused, thinking over what he’d just said.

“...Have I gone mad?”

Leonia screamed.

“Are you seriously saying that in front of your daughter?!”

“I didn’t mean anything weird.”

“This dad seriously underestimates his daughter’s perv sensors! I saw it—Dad definitely imagined Mom tied to the bed!”

Varia yelped and yanked the blanket up to her neck.

“Well, what you see depends on what’s in your head.”

Ferio gently lowered the blanket again but avoided making eye contact with Leonia.

“In any case, you’ve been through a lot lately. It really would be good to have a check-up.”

Ferio wouldn’t let up, even advising her to take health supplements.

“Give up, Mom.”

Leonia shrugged as she watched.

“Dad expresses love through nagging. I just wish he’d express it with money instead.”

“Leonia, you should get a check-up too.”

“So you’ll give me supplements too?”

“There’s no medicine that grows a conscience, I’m afraid...”

“Honestly, I’m more likely to dethrone Dad and steal the title.”

Like her daily vitamin, the little beast finished her routine argument with her father and left the room.

The Countess Erbanu, the likely cause of Varia’s fatigue, had come to the estate again.

“I’ll handle kicking her out today.”

“Don’t overdo it.”

“People will think I’m out here eating folks.”

Well... not in the way they’re thinking, at least.

With that bold future dream declared, Leonia left, and Ferio gripped Varia’s hand a little tighter than before.

Tra quietly excused himself.

Their fingers interlaced completely, stroking each other softly.

“Is my nagging annoying?”

Ferio asked more gently now. Varia tapped her forehead lightly against his.

“It’s not that. It’s just that everyone’s overreacting to something so minor.”

“What can I say? It only shows how precious you are.”

Like a beast showing affection, Ferio leaned into her with a bit of pressure.

His chiseled nose brushed the corner of her eye, and a soft laugh escaped in return.

“I’m still not used to it.”

“Used to what?”

“You speaking so kindly to me.”

Each time Ferio whispered sweet words with that intimidating face of his, Varia felt as if she were dreaming the happiest dream.

And sometimes, that scared her.

“...What if I wake up and it’s all gone?”

Back to the moment Remus killed her.

Back to when her family turned their backs on her death.

“I can show you heaven, at least.”

“Oh my god, seriously! It’s the middle of the day!”

“Isn’t heaven open only at—”

“Watch your mouth!”

Varia, face reddening, lightly smacked Ferio’s lips.

He let her, smiling, knowing he’d deserved it for being cheeky.

“You’ve got no right to scold Leonia anymore.”

“I picked it up from her.”

“From what I see, it’s more like she picked it up from you.”

Sighing at the intensity of their shared bloodline, Varia shook her head.

After all the fuss, Ferio finally moved away from her.

“How about getting some rest now?”

“Well...”

Though not particularly tired, Varia lay down.

She hadn’t felt sleepy before—but the moment she hit the bed, drowsiness crept in.

Ferio stayed by her side until she drifted off.

A gentle smile spread across his face as he watched her nap.

It was a moment of midday peace.

“......”

The peace in his black eyes slowly faded.

Ferio clenched and released his right hand repeatedly, then stood, gazing down at the sleeping Varia.

She was already deeply asleep, her breathing soft and steady.

Then, red mist began to rise behind him.

It thickened, darkened, until it formed four sharp fangs. Red light filled Ferio’s black eyes as he folded his arms.

His fingers tapped his arm rapidly.

Then the tapping stopped.

The fangs of the beast roared, aimed straight at Varia.

But before they could reach her, they dissolved like mist into the air.

The red glow faded from Ferio’s eyes.

He quietly adjusted her blanket and kissed her forehead.

“It seems...”

And in a voice so soft not even Varia could hear—

“...another beast has arrived.”