Port Area.
Neon lights glittered from the towering hotel buildings.... At this moment, inside the top-floor private room.
La Folia tilted her head upwards, letting the warm shower water cascade over her body.
Recalling her meeting with Luo Shu and Lacus at Sensō-ji Temple an hour earlier, she lowered her gaze with a contemplative expression:
"A ticket to becoming a Demigod..."
"If I refuse... perhaps my royal uncles would be more than willing to hand over the Soul Summoning Art and support one of my sisters to take the throne instead?"
La Folia placed no faith in human nature.
Though both her uncles had treated her well and showed great respect towards her mother, she understood perfectly that this was only because they couldn't claim the throne themselves while facing a queen whose power to summon ancestral spirits through the Soul Summoning Art made her overwhelmingly strong.
Should either uncle obtain a Class, or worse, breach the gates of divinity to become a true Demigod...
Then the very foundation of the Aldegia Kingdom - the Valkyrie system where a Spirit Medium queen ruled as the Valkyrie commander - would face its most severe crisis.
In this context, the Hidden Management Department's offer wasn't so much a transaction as it was a multiple-choice question.
Would she accept their olive branch, or resign herself to Aldegia's inevitable civil war?
La Folia knew she had no real choice.
"To be completely checkmated like this... how rare..."
"One might say this is exactly what you'd expect from someone Lacus chose..."
Muttering to herself, La Folia turned off the shower, using her Spiritual Power to disperse the steam before wrapping herself in a white bath towel and padding barefoot into the room.
Just as she picked up the neatly folded pyjamas from the bedside table, a knock sounded at the door.
"Justina?" La Folia called while dressing.
"It's me, Your Highness." Justina's serious voice came through the door. "We've established contact with the homeland and completed preparations for secure communications."
"Will you be speaking with Her Majesty the Queen and His Majesty the King?"
After quickly fastening her pyjamas, La Folia moved to the door. When it opened, she found Justina holding what appeared to be a crystal-encased vintage rotary telephone.
Seeing her knight's solemn expression, La Folia couldn't resist teasing:
"Don't be so serious, Justina. It's just some minor matters to discuss."
"You're making light of things again, Your Highness."
The silver-haired, dashing female knight Justina wore an exasperated expression:
"Immediately requesting contact with the homeland after meeting with the SDS's Supreme Chairwoman can hardly be called 'minor'!"
"Do you really think I'd believe what you're saying now?"
La Folia turned back into the room with a smile as she replied:
"Justina~ Girls who can't play dumb tend to be disliked by boys, you know."
Justina closed the door and hurried in, carrying a crystal-like landline phone, declaring solemnly:
"I only need to fulfil my duties as a knight. I have no need for boys whatsoever!"
Hearing this, La Folia sat on the sofa, propping her cheek as she remarked:
"No need for men, just focus on your duties? Justina, I feel like I've heard those words somewhere before."
"Ah, I believe Lacus once said something similar."
It was actually Meer who'd said it, but since Meer always assumed Lacus' identity during meetings with La Folia - who never exposed the deception - the others naturally believed the same.
Justina placed the phone on the table, then said with slight surprise:
"Even the SDS Supreme Chairwoman, regarded as the pinnacle of womanhood, shares the same view as this subordinate?"
Her expression brightened as she continued:
"Then it seems my conduct aligns with the consensus of strong women."
"Indeed, that's precisely what she thinks." La Folia nodded, then added with a smile: "And today she came with her little boyfriend to bully me."
Justina's face immediately fell as she gave La Folia a deadpan look:
"Your Highness, you're teasing me again."
"That's right~" La Folia laughed cheerfully. "Thanks to you, Justina, my worries have lessened considerably."
"Now then, let's have Mother share some of my burdens, too."
Justina seemed about to say something, but ultimately sighed, bowing formally instead:
"In that case, this subordinate shall withdraw to wait outside."
La Folia waved her hand in acknowledgement.
Only after the silver-haired knight had exited and closed the door did La Folia turn her attention to the phone, pressing one of its buttons.
With a chime.
A 30-inch holographic display materialised mid-air above the old-fashioned landline device.
Showing no surprise, La Folia looked up at the projection.
After several minutes, two familiar figures appeared.
The brown-bearded, stern-faced and burly King of Aldegia, Lucas Rihavein.
And the silver-haired, emerald-eyed mature queen in lavish purple robes, Polifonia Rihavein.
At the sight of them, La Folia's expression visibly relaxed as she greeted them brightly:
"Good evening, Mother, Father!"
"It's not evening here in the north, La Folia," Queen Polifonia gently corrected her daughter's phrasing.
Meanwhile, Lucas cheerfully asked:
"How was your gathering with friends?"
He then spread his hands:
"Though I still don't understand why you'd hold it during someone's funeral."
"I did explain the funeral was just a cover, didn't I, Father?"
La Folia corrected him with a smile, then paused before adding:
"Though come to think of it... While it was meant as a cover, this funeral might have been a suggestion meant for me, too."
"The suggestion that the Aldegia Kingdom's funeral may arrive soon!"
Hearing this, Queen Polifonia's expression remained unchanged. Instead, she smiled and said:
"It seems the pink princess has caused you considerable distress."
"Indeed, considerable distress."
La Folia stuck out her tongue slightly before casually remarking:
"Lacus wants complete access to the Soul Summoning Art archives."
Upon hearing this, Lucas immediately fell silent, leaving the conversation to his wife and daughter.
This matter concerning the kingdom's foundations wasn't something a mere son-in-law like himself could participate in.
Polifonia remained composed as she countered:
"And what is her bargaining chip?"
While inwardly admiring her mother's composure, La Folia replied:
"A lineage based on the Soul Summoning Art's core principles, leading directly to Demigod status - but limited to one inheritor per generation. All others would be forbidden from inheriting unless they join the SDS."
Polifonia fell silent for a moment before sighing:
"...I'm beginning to understand why you mentioned attending the kingdom's future funeral."
"A Demigod's inheritance? And founded upon something as fundamental as the Soul Summoning Art... Meaning this power would be most suited to House Rihavein?"
"Indeed, powerful and convenient abilities always become the root of a kingdom's turmoil."
La Folia didn't refute her mother's words, simply waiting quietly.
Then Polifonia smiled and asked: "La Folia, would this power be held by the SDS... or by Lacus herself?"
Hearing this, La Folia faintly guessed her mother's implication and shook her head:
"If I'm not mistaken, it would be held by Lacus's boyfriend - the newly appointed Director of the SDS Hidden Management Department."
Polifonia's eyes flickered slightly at this before she remarked:
"Little Lacus's boyfriend? I believe I saw his details in your previous report - Luo Shu, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Mother." La Folia nodded emphatically.
Receiving this confirmation, Polifonia maintained her faint smile:
"La Folia... couldn't that boy be more than just Lacus's boyfriend?"
La Folia blinked in astonishment.
More than just Lacus's boyfriend?
Wait...
La Folia was stunned.