The guard leapt up and ran out, making Dalia pout.

“That’s what happens when you get scolded by Deputy Komud, isn’t it?”

“The master is at the palace and unreachable, but the butler here verified your identity!”

“Then take me to the Crown Prince.”

“Well, since we still can’t reach the master...”

The guard rubbed his palms awkwardly and forced a smile.

Dalia frowned.

I need to secure the Celestial Steed quickly.

I must prove I’m superior to Erilot...

The finish line is right before me.

The faster I settle this, the more they’ll look up to me.

Above all, the Shadow Veil...

Even if the true Messiah appears, I must ensure the Veil can never let her loose on me.

Dalia bit her lip.

Besides, the meeting was arranged in advance.

Dalia lifted her chin and said, “This is a prearranged matter with your master. Escort me to Prince Mercedes at once!”

The guard who’d vouched for checking her identity hesitated. “I can’t open the door without permission—”

At that moment, the other guard, who’d already made the arrangement with Dalia, shouted, “Oh, no, we will open it!”

“Hey, you! What are you doing?”

“She really is Lady Astra. We’ve already breached etiquette—there’s no point making it worse!”

“But we should at least confirm with the Prince first—”

“Would Lady Astra of House Astra lie to us?”

“Still, this is...”

“Do you want to see someone get punished?!”

With one guard pressing, the other wavered. The guard who’d previously snubbed Dalia opened the door with a chuckle. “Please, come in. I’ll inform downstairs.”

“Good.”

Dalia smiled triumphantly and stepped inside.

Masa, watching, brimmed with excitement.

[As expected, the Astra daughter’s rank is tremendous!]

Of course.

[Now we just need the Celestial Steed from Prince Mercedes.]

Yes!

As Dalia approached the inner hall, the servants inside rushed out. The head butler, flustered, said, “We will escort you to the annex.”

The staff exchanged uneasy glances; they seemed very unsettled.

Dalia, puzzled, asked, “Is the Prince in the annex?”

“No, um, please rest there first—then speak with the Prince later—”

“There’s no need to rest. I came here via the Movement’s Blessing Stone. I want to see the Prince immediately.”

“The Prince must prepare to receive guests—”

“Is he asleep? Has he only just woken?”

“No, that’s not it, but...”

The butler’s voice trailed off in embarrassment.

Dalia beamed. “Then that’s fine. Please tell him there’s no need for special preparation—”

Just then:

“What are you doing?”

A man appeared at the top of the stairs: silver hair tied back in a single braid, eyes glowing like amethysts.

That must be Prince Mercedes.

Dalia spread her skirts and knelt lightly. “Your Highness, I am Dalia Astra—”

A servant trailing behind the Prince shouted, “How dare you disobey the Prince’s command to expel her at once—!!”

What? Expel me? Why?

Dalia looked up the stairs in confusion. Prince Mercedes’s expression was icy. She’d heard he usually looked benevolent and composed—why did he seem so furious?

Dalia placed a hand at her collarbone and stepped forward. “Um, Your Highness, I am Dalia of House Astra.”

“Did Duke Astra teach his daughter to turn the Empire’s Crown Prince into a clown?”

“...Yes?”

“How dare you.”

Bang—!

The transmission talisman hovering beside Dalia suddenly exploded. Shards grazed her cheek.

Blood welled on her face.

Dalia froze and stared up at Prince Mercedes.

Meanwhile, in the Kalsoye Empire...

[Dalia’s transmission has been cut off.]

“Good.”

I ended the earring-shaped comm device with a smile and slipped the usual Communications Stone from my jacket, twisting so the Talon couldn’t detect it.

[I’ve passed Dalia Astra’s code to the ladies as requested. Wishing sincere victory to Miss Erilot. —Rumelisa Pa’ante.]

[I just spoke with Dalia Astra. Your dearest friend, Michel O’Shron.]

[I’m still trying to reach her, no connection. —Lira Ambutong.]

[As ordered, Half-Castle, we’re linking up with friends at the southern comm base. They all wish to see Miss Erilot... (message cut) —Catherine Trang.]

[Benya is directly attempting at the northern base. But when will you meet us? —Rika Delfre.]

[Updating status. East comm tower has been broadcasting signal nonstop. —Sebastia Viferi.]

Messages from the ladies.

I smirked.

I’m the one who set Dalia’s talisman to overheat.

To sever her link with the Veil.

As long as the talisman is active, the Veil cannot move near Dalia.

So of course she’ll use the Communications Stone to contact them.

With the Veil cut off, Dalia is as good as stranded on a deserted island.

She’ll never reconnect to the Veil.

Their comm bases are sending signals directly—with highest priority, it’s an emergency.

Haven’t I prepared everything since childhood, Dalia?

I’ve arranged ties with every comm base for the war with Grimie.

The Viferi family at the eastern base.

The Trang family in the south.

The Montague family in the north.

And House Astra in the west.

The western base is a makeshift facility in the Grimie Jurisdiction’s ashes.

I turned to face the soldiers I’d brought, who bowed.

The hooded figure at the front asked, “What is the situation?”

“Support forces fully cut off.”

“And the result?”

“Hm... Prince Mercedes is furious?”

We grinned at each other.

I said with a smile, “They’re broadcasting the duel between the Astra ladies across the Kalsoye Empire. It’s a show.”

“If the western Emperor’s nobility drags me into a circus, of course he’d be enraged.”

“Right. I look like a clown at a circus.”

Now Dalia’s boast—support from the Veil, her tie to Prince Mercedes—is gone.

I looked at the soldiers. “The tide has turned. The victory is ours.”

“Waahhh—!”

They cheered in unison.

I shouted, “Let’s go seize the Celestial Steed!”

A deal with Prince Mercedes? It was never in my plan.

They’re broadcasting the duel—there’s no way I’ll beg him, “Please, give me the Steed.”

House Astra’s heiress won’t bow to the Empire’s eastern Crown Prince.

The hooded man asked, “Milady—”

“Yes?”

“That Celestial Steed is a holy beast no one’s ever seen before the underground auction.”

“I know.”

“But is there another?”

“Hmm...”

“And could we even catch such a sacred being before the Dark-Free Rite?”

I said confidently, “No!”

“...Excuse me?”

Even the soldiers, riding high on morale, looked startled.

I opened my eyes wide and shrugged. “There is no other Steed, and even if there were, there’s no way we could catch it before the Rite.”

I don’t overestimate myself.

I don’t exhaust myself chasing vanishing odds.

It’s not a hero’s move.

Actually, Dalia is more the hero type—believing in herself, fearless of small chances.

The hooded figure looked bewildered. “But you still intend to go after it...?”

“Yes. To be precise, its materials.”

“Materials?”

I laughed arrogantly. “We will create a Celestial Steed. A sacred being brimming with divine power.”

“What on earth...?”

“Create one? How...?”

The soldiers muttered among themselves. I met their gaze with determination. “If it can’t be a creature of legend, we will make the legend ourselves.”

“...”

“...”

“My father, Daimond Astra, forged his own legend.”

“...”

“...”

“As his daughter, I too will forge the legend of the Celestial Steed today!”

The soldiers’ pupils trembled. They knelt in unison. “We obey!”

“We obey!”

Imperial Court, Council Chamber.

“My father, Daimond Astra, forged his own legend.”

The nobles watching the Mystic Arena for entertainment gasped.

All eyes shifted to Daimond beside the Emperor, watching the display.

“Parents are a child’s greatest teachers. Truly befitting the daughter of a great general, Your Grace.”

“The noble young ladies who were relaying messages for Dalia Astra—aren’t they close friends of Erilot Astra? Could it be...”

“Yes. My daughter bought a stack of Communication Stones at Erilot’s request.”

“So you disabled Dalia Astra’s stones as part of your strategy!”

The nobles stared at Daimond in astonishment. °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Grimie, seated opposite, looked grim. A noble beside him spoke quietly, “What shall we do? The momentum favors Erilot Astra—and Dalia’s blunder...”

“On the contrary, it’s fortunate. Because of that talisman, she couldn’t contact the Veil.”

They will send another talisman for the relay, but we have time.

Grimie said, “We must immediately join the Veil to Dalia’s side.”

“I’ll inform them.”

At that, the Emperor looked at Daimond. “About your daughter’s mother—I wish to speak with her soon. Send her to me.”

“...!”

“...!”

The nobles’ eyes went wide. Even Grimie and his retinue stiffened.

The one weakness of Erilot Astra—her mother’s status. More precisely, why Erilot cannot become Crown Princess.

‘Could he be intending... to verify it?’

‘He desires her as Crown Princess.’

Grimie clenched his fist. He glanced at Duke Germo, who lightly nodded.

‘We must somehow steer this duel toward the Messiah’s victory.’

If Erilot Astra becomes Crown Princess, nothing can stop it.

At dusk, in the Kingdom of Pessel.

Dalia peered anxiously from outside the door. Footsteps approached and—bang!—the door flew open.

Count Komud of the Second House and the Mashitabvas burst in.

“What do we do? Prince Mercedes is furious!”

Count Komud ground his teeth. “Why would the eastern Crown Prince allow a western clown show? What will you do now? My connections to Grimie are already known!”

He’d failed to properly attend the Crown Prince of Laontra, and if the Prince protests to the King of Pessel, the blame falls on him.

‘Because of this foolish woman...!’

“How could you—”

Crrrack!

The wall cracked. Count Komud gasped and clutched his collar.

“Ma-Ma-shitab... what is this...?”

“Do not raise your voice to the Messiah.”

Ma-shitabva’s younger brother glared at Count Komud. The elder brother approached the weeping Dalia.

“It’s not too late. Dry your tears, Messiah.”

After shooting a deadly look at Count Komud, Ma-shitabva’s younger brother knelt before Dalia. “We will never forgive anyone who unsettles the Messiah.”

“If Erilot wins... everyone will point fingers at me...”

Dalia burst into tears and clung to Ma-shitabva’s younger brother. He gently patted her back. “Do not worry. Pavil suspects Erilot Astra’s scheme.”

“Scheme?”

“Prince Mercedes will never cooperate again.”

“And then?”

“She’ll seek another Celestial Steed.”

“Another Steed?”

“Since none exists, she’ll create one.”

“Cr-Create? Can Erilot even do that?”

This time Ma-shitabva’s elder brother spoke. “There is a winged-horse-like monster. Its corrupted magic taints everything it touches.”

“Then it isn’t a Steed...”

“If purified and its magic converted to divine power, it would become a Steed.”

“But Erilot has no divine power... can she purify it?”

“She cannot herself, but she has a friend who can.”

“Selene? Or that knight from the Imperial Army?”

“No, someone else.”

“Who?”

Ma-shitabva’s younger brother’s eyes flashed. “Sebastia Viferi. Blessing: .”

He can purify beings with magic—especially corrupted monsters—into dust.

The opposite of Erilot’s .

Ma-shitabva’s elder brother said, “But our Veil also has someone who can purify. If we seize only the ‘materials,’ we too can craft a Steed.”

“Then let’s go!”

‘Erilot’s soldiers were nothing special.’

With just the Ma-shitabvas, we can win.

Dalia and the Ma-shitabvas hurried off to the final battlefield of this duel!