The door was pushed open.
What appeared before them was a spacious, circular hall.
The floor was paved with neatly arranged dark stone tiles. The walls were built from gray-black bricks, without excessive decorations, giving a bold and rugged impression—yet one that also felt straightforward and refreshing.
Thick rolled-up carpets were neatly stacked along the outer edge of the hall.
It looked like the place hadn't been used in a long time.
Against the far walls stood an old-fashioned wooden staircase.
Looking up the stairs, there were no rooms on the second floor. Instead, a circular, suspended balcony ran around the perimeter of the hall, with railings installed at the edges for viewers to look down. Every few steps, a beautifully crafted chandelier hung from thick iron chains.
There weren't many windows, and most of the structure used dark tones.
And yet, somehow, the hall still felt remarkably bright.
As they stepped into the empty hall, the beastfolk maids closed the doors behind them and didn't follow them inside.
Eris crossed her arms, raising her brow and glancing sideways at Hilda, her eyes rolling slightly in her sockets.
"This is... what was it called... the reception hall?!"
Sylphy, beside her, seemed to suddenly remember something. She sharply turned to look at Hilda. The older woman caught her expression and smiled.
"You remember, Eris. This is where your fifth birthday party was held. It hasn't been used since. Do you remember the ball that evening?"
Eris pursed her lips and thought hard, then nodded fiercely.
"Nope! Not at all!"
Hilda chuckled and shook her head as she led the group toward the center of the hall.
"This reception hall is one of the earliest buildings constructed after the Boreas estate was completed. Despite the rugged design, the stonework was carefully selected—solid and durable. All these years, it has only needed minor repairs. The biggest renovation was the addition of the balcony."
"They say back during the age of war, every time the Boreas ancestors returned victorious, they held great banquets here with their generals."
"If there's any place in the Boreas estate that truly symbolizes the family's honor, it's this one."
"For Eris's fifth birthday, since all subordinate nobles were invited, it was the perfect place for a grand banquet."
Their footsteps echoed faintly in the cavernous space, their voices swirling slightly in the empty air.
Allen scanned the surroundings, his flow sense constantly transmitting subtle, discordant signals into his mind.
Iron chains suspending chandeliers...
The dark, rugged architecture...
Few windows, yet the brightness inside...
The reverberating sound of their footsteps...
His thoughts paused—then something clicked.
Just then, Hilda stopped walking.
Eris, still glancing around curiously, asked:
"Weren't you bringing us here to see the crest? Where is it?"
Hilda paused.
By now, she had reached the center of the hall.
She turned.
Faced them all.
The smile on Hilda's face remained luminous—vibrant, almost glowing with the hues of the setting sun, complementing the red in her hair.
She lifted her hand.
In the halo of twilight, her fingertip gleamed.
She raised it overhead—pointing toward the sky.
"Look."
Allen, eyes following the sunlight tracing her hand, suddenly looked up.
It wasn't "as if"—
The twilight really was lighting up Hilda's face.
And why had those chandeliers been hung with iron chains instead of affixed to rafters?
Because—
There were no rafters.
What they saw above—
Was a dome of radiant sunset.
A massive circular skylight of enameled glass crowned the high ceiling.
Brilliant colors of twilight flowed across the glass surface like molten gems.
The seams between the panels of enamel glass outlined feathers.
The glass itself formed the feathers, with light dancing along their contours.
Between the twin wings formed by this masterpiece—
Lay a black "heart."
Rough. Solid. Grainy.
Reflecting a metallic luster.
No—
It was a metal heart.
Forged from a single slab of iron.
Iron Heart.
The crest of the Boreas family.
Spread above their heads.
Poised to take flight.
Gasps of awe came from Rudy and Sylphy, while Eris—the heiress of Boreas—cried out loudly.
Hilda, smiling, began answering their questions.
"It is a spot that's easy to overlook. This hall isn't usually visited during the day, so the crest is often missed. How many people did it take to build this? I'm not sure, Rudy."
"Haha, when I first saw it, I had the same expression as you all—completely stunned. Back then, I came for an evening ball too and didn't even notice it until later. It was your father who brought me here to show it off."
"Just you and Philip, huh? Yes, Luffy. Oh? Why the blush?"
"Are there any other places with glass dome crests like this? Yes, Ghislane. The tower your grandfather often climbs to look into the distance—it has the same kind of dome at its top."
As Hilda spoke, her words passed Allen's ears like a soft breeze.
He stood with his head tilted upward, staring at the Iron Heart.
His thoughts tangled.
Fittoa… everlasting upon this land?
A lofty goal.
Like a martial founder carving out his own domain, a hero with the ambition to remain forever rooted.
The meaning behind that phrase was clear:
This land need not belong to the Asura Kingdom…
But it must belong to Boreas.
The kingdom may rise and fall with the tides of time—
But Boreas must endure.
Iron Heart.
It meant every head of the family must carry a heart of iron.
To uphold this goal without fail.
But who among the next generation could bear this weight?
Cunning, fox-like, a fine husband—yet seeking prestige in the royal capital rather than glory in the provinces—Philip?
Clearly not.
Then what about James?
Did he have the steely will to pursue that dream?
His later actions—contrary to Sauros's ideal of rebuilding the territory at all costs—suggested otherwise.
So why had Sauros favored him?
Because on the surface at least, he better matched the Iron Heart's requirements.
That is—
He was colder than Philip. More selfish.
More rebellious in spirit.
Whether in the past family head succession or in his ruthless pursuit of eliminating Allen—
He had shown it clearly.
In a way—
He was closer to embodying the Iron Heart.
(End of Chapter)
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