In absolute silence, Gonzo felt something churning within him. A boiling heat ignited raw emotions from the deepest part of his heart.
His flat expression almost cracked, unable to contain the surge of anger within him.
Gonzo stared straight at Duke Valebright. Was he truly an innocent man who didn't understand tension, or could he be just foolish?
Even though he held the prominent title in this Empire, it didn't faze a man named Gonzo, someone who had risen from nothing and once saved the nation's economy.
Then, his eyes turned to the two other women who kept their mouths shut since entering the house.
He didn't care much for their presence because they were the ones who did something unforgivable to him.
'If you want to play like that, then I'll play my way too.'
Fortunately, he was prepared in case something happened, but he hadn't expected to use it.
After listening to the entire story, his fingers froze, holding back the urge to clench hard.
'Alfred, this is on you!'
A ring on his finger shone, and a white letter with his company's insignia—a Gryphon symbolizing the King of land and sky—landed on his hand.
Gonzo placed the letter on the table and spoke.
"Thank you for your visit. Now, I'd like you all to leave this house immediately and deliver this letter to the Prime Minister."
The man stood up, exerting his power, and was about to leave the place, but stopped midway.
"Mr. Gonzo, please listen for a moment. We apologize for what we did, and if you would be so kind, could we meet the boy named Yuto?"
This time, it wasn't Veena and Kaelion, but a man with golden hair named Sirius who stood and raised his voice.
However, his audacity, begging Gonzo's forgiveness and asking for something from him, made the volcano in Gonzo's heart erupt.
"Silence!"
Gonzo's voice echoed like a shockwave, rattling all the glass windows in the house.
How long has it been since he felt such intense anger?
He let out a long sigh and turned away from the group.
"Leave, don't make things more difficult!"
Reluctantly, the respected group in the Empire stood motionless. They walked out of the room.
Gonzo didn't regret what he did; no matter how strong they were, he would not back down, especially when it concerned his family.
"Yuto."
Unconsciously, the name escaped his lips. A week had passed since the boy left a message for his assistant and then disappeared.
Thanks to that, he was scolded by his wife and daughter for several days.
At first, Gonzo harbored a small grudge and promised to punish Yuto later for his actions.
However, as time passed and days changed, there was no sign of him returning. He began to worry about the boy.
Gonzo saw his own shadow mingled with the warm light of the sun, but he only felt cold, just like the state of the dining table after the boy's disappearance.
'Yuto, Marni, and Shery are waiting for you. I hope you come back soon.'
***
Hurried footsteps echoed in the long, deserted corridor.
Thanks to her teleportation magic, Veena returned to the Imperial capital alone, holding a letter in her hand.
Her facial expression was dark, still irritated by the foolish thing her comrades did at the last moment.
Even now, Veena's heart pounded as if it would burst, remembering that an ordinary merchant could possess such an immense presence.
Her feet stopped in front of the twin doors. Twin dragons carved on each side.
"Commander Veena. His Majesty is waiting for you inside."
One of the imperial knights standing by the door greeted her and pushed the doors.
A low rumble rang through the corridor, sending a new wind that chilled her body.
A majestic sight greeted Veena as she stepped inside
The soft red carpet lay straight on the floor—high ceilings supported by concrete pillars lined up in rows.
There was an elevated floor with stairs, and at the top sat a luxurious throne adorned with gold and deep history.
A man in his forties sat on the throne, his sharp gaze radiating a fierce aura and kindness.
"First Commander of the Imperial Mage Corps, Veena Leyrand, I have come to..."
Veena reached out to her chest as she knelt.
"Okay, stop, don't bother with the formalities, there's no one beside us here now."
The atmosphere in the room froze at the Emperor's casual tone as he sat upon the throne. He leaned sideways, supporting his cheek with a fist on the throne's arm.
"Huff, sir, please act like a leader."
The man standing beside him scoffed at his Emperor's behavior.
"Oh, come on, Alfred. Don't be so stiff; besides, my schedule should be empty today, right? Why do I have to sit on this chair again?"
"Isn't this matter supposed to be directed at me? Why do you want to participate if you're that reluctant?"
"My apologies, Your Majesty and Prime Minister."
Veena bowed her head; she was too embarrassed to face her nation's leaders at the moment.
"No, no, this isn't your fault, Veena. I'm just surprised to hear the name of an old friend, right, Alfred?"
Alfred glanced at Veena while adjusting his glasses.
"So what happened, Veena? Gonzo is not someone who easily asks us for something."
Under their pressure, Veena's breath hitched, and her fingers began to tingle with cold.
She couldn't stand; her hand felt heavy as if pressed by a large stone, not a mere letter.
Cold sweat poured down her back. Veena gritted her teeth and stood, dragging her heavy feet.
She was able to hand the letter to the prime minister. The sound of the paper being opened made her body stiffen, and she could barely resist the urge to press her forehead to the floor.
Silence hung in the place, appearing like an invisible sword resting on her nape, causing the hairs on her body to stand on end.
"What happened? Explain everything."
The atmosphere turned heavy as the Emperor changed his tone.
Reluctantly, Veena's tense mouth began to recount everything, from her comrades' mistakes to her meeting with Gonzo, which ended in disaster.
As she spoke, her breath stopped for a moment, feeling the two people glaring at her like predators.
Time passed slowly. Veena swallowed to moisten her dry throat as she lost feeling in her limbs.
With her current condition, she wouldn't be able to get off the floor for a while.
After Veena finished explaining, the Emperor and Prime Minister let out long sighs.
"This is bad."
"You are right, Your Majesty. This must be handled immediately."
From that brief conversation, Veena's eyes widened, realizing how vital Gonzo's role was in the country.
'To think that His Majesty the Emperor and the Prime Minister took it seriously.'
Then, the shadows of the two began to move, rewinding time that felt stuck.
"It seems this is my time to shine."
"Wait a minute, sir. You're not trying to use this as an excuse to skip work, are you?"
All the tension and worry that tore at her consciousness vanished, seeing the two men in front of her starting to bicker like children.
"Of course not, you said this is a critical situation, right?"
"But! Your Majesty, you are an Emperor; how can you leave the imperial castle like that?"
"So, who should go? You know Gonzo is a bit stubborn when he's angry."
As if waiting for this moment, the prime minister pushed up his glasses, which somehow gleamed mysteriously.
"I will go."
Hearing that, the Emperor's brow twitched, and Veena briefly saw a vein on his forehead almost burst.
"Don't joke around, just say that you want a vacation."
"That is indeed what I want."
"This isn't fair!"
Trapped in the middle of a childish argument, Veena's gaze alternated left and right, gaping.
Bam!
A loud thud echoed in the audience room, clearing the noisy atmosphere caused by the two old men's quarrel.
They turned to the entrance and saw a beautiful woman in a red dress walk in.
"Father, I've heard everything."
Her appearance made the Emperor sit on the throne, his gaze sharp. The prime minister stood beside him, radiating a firm attitude.
A stark difference from what Veena saw earlier. She sighed, hoping that this problem would be resolved peacefully.
***
Meanwhile, far from the reach of the crowd, specifically in Verdant Hollow.
An old cabin, patched up with some new wood, giving it a fresh new appearance after withstanding the passage of time.
Sitting under a carved tree trunk, a boy with snow-white hair stared at the burning fire.
Beside the blazing fire, a long, thin stick was stuck in the ground, holding a large slice of sizzling golden-brown meat.
"I think it's time."