Instantly, Polifonia and La Folia turned their gazes toward the panic-stricken Lucas.
Well, now... was there an unexpected development here?
La Folia's expression shifted to surprise, then - like someone relishing the drama - she pointed accusingly:
"Mother! Father is definitely hiding something! He must have a mistress! Possibly even an illegitimate daughter!!"
"La Folia you—" Lucas's eyes widened, never imagining his little princess would betray him at such a moment.
The problem was, he truly hadn't strayed.
"Wife, you know I'd never play around. Besides, I don't have Rihavein lineage either."
As Lucas protested his innocence, Polifonia narrowed her eyes and studied him deeply before saying:
"I believe you."
Lucas exhaled in profound relief, but before he could relax, Polifonia continued:
"At most, there are just a few dolls vacuum-sealed in the sixth locker of the lounge. You definitely haven't been messing around."
"..."
Lucas was utterly dumbfounded by this.
Was this something you could say in front of your daughter? Where was his dignity as a father?
And how had the doll thing been exposed?
To keep it hidden, he'd even used his father-in-law's identity to place the order from Japan!
Before Lucas could figure out the reason, Polifonia turned her head and looked at La Folia with a stern expression.
"La Folia!"
"You should know that the spirits of our ancestors have always protected the direct bloodline of the Rihavein family. Even the First Primogenitor couldn't escape their surveillance to steal the bloodline."
"Are you absolutely certain that the person your SDS contact identified is truly a direct descendant of Rihavein?"
Polifonia said this because princesses with sufficient bloodline purity were all under the protection of the ancestral spirits. Thus, she suspected the SDS might have made a mistake, mistaking a branch family member for the main line.
After all, the SDS didn't have the Rihavein family's methods, so such a mix-up was understandable.
La Folia hesitated for a moment before smiling oddly and saying:
"In terms of bloodline, they aren't direct, but in terms of identity... they do count."
Polifonia froze at this, then suddenly realised something, her expression turning extremely peculiar:
"Your grandfather... surely not..."
Lucas, who had been listening nearby, was equally shocked:
'By Odin's beard!!'
'Father-in-law, what a legend!!'
As a son-in-law who married into the family, he'd actually had an affair—and even fathered an illegitimate daughter. Worse, he'd kept it hidden for years, despite the former queen still being alive!!
Instantly, Polifonia and Lucas exchanged glances, both seeing the sheer astonishment in each other's eyes.
A few seconds later, Polifonia turned back to La Folia and said:
"La Folia, for now, focus on finalising the collaboration with the SDS in Japan. Don't concern yourself with the royal family's affairs... No, let me put it this way: try to keep that child as far away as possible."
"Once we locate them, I'll send your... well, your aunt to you first."
"In short, we need to ensure that the child takes refuge outside for now."
La Folia maintained a solemn expression, though inwardly, she lamented missing the chance to see her grandmother summon the ancestral spirits and obliterate her grandfather.
After all, a royal drama like this was a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.
"I understand. I'll handle it as appropriately as possible."
Before La Folia could finish, Polifonia abruptly ended the call, clearly in a hurry to confront her father.
In response, La Folia silently prayed for her grandfather's soul—for precisely one second.
As for the rest... well, he was doomed. No saving him now.
With that thought, La Folia muttered under her breath:
"Come to think of it, out of the last eight queens in our family, I'm the only one who supports polygamy..."
"Poor Grandfather..."
Shaking her head in mock pity, La Folia stood up and opened the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the Tokyo nightscape outside.
"The Hidden Management Department's Luo Shu, was it?"
Narrowing her eyes, La Folia murmured to herself:
"A troublesome man..."
"I hope we can preserve Aldegia's interests as much as possible..."
...
"So, the funeral's over?"
Tokyo, Shiba Park.
The alluring woman with purple lipstick sitting on the bench raised her hand, observing the tiny three-eyed spider on her finger before smiling faintly:
"Sayuri must be quite heartbroken... After all, in her eyes, I once loved her so deeply."
Hearing Enigma's words, the three-eyed spider's avatar couldn't help but sneer:
"Oh? Don't tell me you still have feelings for the womb you selected?"
Enigma appeared momentarily surprised before responding with amusement:
"My, is that how you view your Hell Girls down below?"
The spider replied coldly: "Food and toys aren't things to be discussed together."
"So that's how you see it?"
Enigma seemed enlightened, then continued playfully:
"Speaking of which, you must have heard that that Spirit Medium princess seems to have arrived in Tokyo."
"A caged canary voluntarily flying into the sky... What a delightful development, don't you think?"
"I know." The spider's voice remained icy. "The Rihavein family's Spiritual Medium constitution could indeed serve as a conduit for summoning the Flame Demon."
Enigma smiled knowingly:
"How well-informed~ So you do have some thoughts about this?"
"Stop probing me, Greed." The spider sneered. "Surely you're aware of the relationship between the Spirit Medium princess and the SDS?"
"Need I remind you that the SDS deployed considerable manpower during your funeral this evening, and that princess just happened to be present?"
"I don't consider this a coincidence, nor do I believe the Rihavein princess is familiar enough with you to attend your funeral personally."
"If you want to court death, do it alone. Don't drag me into it."
Enigma feigned hurt: "How cruel. And here I was trying to help you complete your mission."
"Worry about yourself first."
As the spider spoke, its tiny body began gradually disintegrating.
Before turning completely to sand, it delivered a final cold warning:
"If I were you, I wouldn't prepare a false identity to attend my own funeral."
"Don't assume the SDS can't counter your avatar tricks. A Demigod isn't someone a half-baked creature like you should provoke."
With these words, the spider fully dissipated into the wind.
Watching this, Enigma merely curled her lips slightly before remarking:
"Truly a yokai with nothing but slaughter in mind... Can't even discern my true intentions. Impressive how you came to advise me while understanding nothing."
Shaking her head, Enigma gazed at the brilliantly lit Tokyo Tower in the distance before closing her eyes and murmuring:
"Attending one's own funeral?"
"That would indeed be a novel experience."
As her words faded, a gust of wind swept through - and Enigma vanished without a trace.