「OMINIA VAULT DEPT.」
"Are they for real?" G6 muttered as they left the Sanctum.
"They must adore you greatly, Lady Reise," Lilia said with a bright smile.
"They've got a sister complex. It's a thing," G6 replied flatly.
"What's a sister complex?" Lilia asked.
"It's like a dog that loses its mind every time its owner walks in."
"But dogs are lovely," Lilia replied, innocent.
G6 just shook her head.
Brenda guided them toward the next building. "We now proceed to the Department of Research and Inventory—the Omnia Vault."
The reception area was hushed. A single attendant stood behind the front desk. "Good morning. Welcome to the Omnia. How may I assist you?"
"Good morning, Zen. This is Lady Reise Worthon. She will be working among us," Brenda announced.
Lilia had released G6's hand and was studying the wall maps with Tina.
"Lady Reise?" Zen stepped from behind the counter. "A pleasure. I am Zen, of the Nocturne branch."
"Likewise. Reise of House Worthon," she stated, voice firm.
His eyes widened. "W-Worthon? You are the Second Prince's fiancée?"
Addressing me as someone's accessory? That doesn't sit right.
"No," G6 corrected, her tone cutting. "I am Reise Worthon. I look forward to working with you, Zen." She turned to Brenda. "Shall we?"
Brenda nodded. "I will show you the Omnia, Lady Reise."
They moved on, leaving Zen momentarily speechless. The prince's fiancée, here? He'd expected her to be occupied with courtly etiquette, not striding through research halls.
Tina and Lilia hurried after Edmund, who shadowed G6 closely. Once more, G6 absorbed every detail in silence—not out of disinterest, but with the focused intensity of a scout surveying hostile terrain.
"The laboratories are usually occupied. Other departments sometimes call them… academics," Brenda explained, a hint of derision in her voice as they walked the quiet corridor.
"Yeah, I can tell. Place is a ghost town," G6 remarked, her posture shifting from noble grace into something looser, more at ease—almost a swagger.
Brenda opened a set of double doors. "The main laboratory."
Inside, scholars were deep in their work—scanning artifacts, examining archaic tools, sorting parchments. G6's eyes swept the room.
Total geeks.
Her gaze snagged on a man in the corner. An elegant white suit with gold filigree. Green hair. Green eyes glinting behind spectacles.
Is this what they call tall, handsome, and… damn. T.H.D. Actually, it's dark.
Their eyes met.
Oh, you have got to be kidding me. It's Earl.
She looked away instantly and left the room.
It wasn't embarrassment. It was tactical avoidance.
Earl almost didn't recognize her—until he registered her hair. "Reise?" He set down his tools and followed. "Wait. Reise, what are you doing here?"
She didn't stop, forcing him to match her pace.
Her three servants observed silently. They knew better than to intervene when their lady wore that particular don't-talk-to-me glare.
He smoothly stepped into her path.
These damn heels.
"Oh, look who it is. Hi, Earl," G6 said, sarcasm dripping.
He smiled, amused and utterly unconvinced. "Indeed. Why the avoidance? Are you searching for something?" He adjusted his glasses, studying her.
"Actually, yes." She offered a razor-edged smile. "I need you to get out of my way." Her expression hardened, leaving no room for debate.
"Still as direct as at the tea party," he noted, a teasing glint in his eye. "But let's bypass that. Why are you here?"
G6 glanced pointedly at Brenda. You explain.
"Lady Reise will be working among us, Lord Earl," Brenda said politely.
"Working? You, Reise?" Genuine surprise flickered across his face, then warmed into a proud, almost fond smile. "You truly have changed. Quite dramatically."
"Whatever. Move."
He laughed. "Don't be like that. You'll be seeing much of me here."
"Sorry to disappoint. I've got Open Access. I won't be stuck anywhere—especially not with you."
"You have Open Access?" His confusion was evident. G6 didn't answer, looking away and crossing her arms.
Tina gently cleared her throat. "Her Majesty herself arranged it, Lord Earl."
"The Queen?" Earl's eyes lingered on G6 before his smile returned, touched with mischief. "Well then, visit anytime, Reise. I'll be waiting."
What is with this guy? Seriously creeping me out.
"I'd rather die again than spend another minute near you," she stated coldly, then brushed past him.
"Please forgive our lady," Edmund said with a swift bow. "She is… quite considerate, in truth." He and Tina hurried after her, Lilia already scampering ahead.
Earl watched them go, thoughtful. "Die again?" he murmured. His smile softened. "She does look more striking like this. It suits her new… vigor."
He shook his head lightly and returned to his work, a faint, unreadable smile on his lips.
「ROYAL COLLEGIUM LIBRARY」
Their next stop was the library—a cavernous space of elegance and quiet power. Ceiling-high shelves stretched in every direction, with a second-floor balcony granting access to the highest levels.
"This is… big," G6 admitted, impressed.
Lilia ran to the center and twirled, dwarfed by the knowledge towering around her. "It's even larger than the Main Palace library!"
"Naturally," Brenda replied, a note of pride in her voice. "The Collegium holds everything. Even the forbidden texts."
G6's interest sharpened at the word forbidden. "Can anyone access them?"
"Yes, Lady Reise. However, the forbidden works are kept on the highest shelves." Brenda gestured toward the topmost sections, nearly brushing the ornate ceiling. "Even our tallest ladders fall short."
Perfect. If they think height is security, they've never met someone who can climb.
"She's plotting something… wicked," Tina whispered to Edmund.
"I can see that," Edmund murmured back.
They were learning her tells. The slight head tilt. The predatory focus in her gaze. Her silence was more dangerous than any shout.
"We shall now proceed to the library's extension—the Integrated Wardrobe and Armory System. The I.W.A.S.," Brenda announced.
G6's eyes lit up. "Custom utility gear?"
"Indeed. Her Majesty specifically instructed me to bring you here."
She did? Finally, we're getting somewhere.
"I was told to show you… training wear."
"How much farther?"
"We are here." Brenda tapped her card against a nearly invisible wall panel. A soft click, and a hidden door slid open. "Beyond this point, only officially employed personnel may enter."
G6 glanced at her three aides. They nodded understanding and remained outside.
The door sealed behind G6 and Brenda. "This is a secured storage facility. I oversee it as Head Caretaker of the library," Brenda explained.
The room was spacious and meticulously organized. Racks held practical training gear and formal wear. One wall displayed polished knight armor in glass cases, gleaming under enchanted light.
Jackpot. No more frills. No more pastels. Just function.
G6 moved slowly between the racks, fingers brushing fabrics—sturdy linen, reinforced leather, dark wool built for endurance, not decoration.
She stopped before a rack of combat dresses and scowled. "This looks like market clothes. It's just a plain dress."
"That is the standard for women's attire here, Lady Reise. Even the Adventurers' Guild follows this style, though theirs is slightly more… daring."
"Not happening." G6 turned away. Her eyes caught a separate section.
She walked over. The garments there were simpler, utilitarian.
"Those were rejected," Brenda said. "Deemed inappropriate. Lacking noble decorum."
G6 wasn't listening. This… this is like gear from my world. Our style.
She grabbed a long-sleeved, high-collared top, then found a pair of black trousers in her size. "Lady Reise, I said they were not—"
"I'm taking these, Brenda." Her voice held finality. She selected a pair of black boots and handed them over. "Have these delivered to my quarters."
It felt like gearing up for an op.
She stepped close to Brenda, stopping a breath away. "Keep it quiet from the Queen," she whispered, "and we're good." She winked.
Brenda flushed. G6's confidence carried a roguish, almost masculine charm.
"I could simply store them here. You may change whenever you come to train," Brenda suggested, sounding slightly dazed.
G6 smiled and lightly touched Brenda's chin. "That's the idea."
Brenda's heart skipped. G6 was already turning toward the door, mission accomplished. Good the others aren't here to interfere.
Her eyes landed on a belt. She snatched it and turned back. "Keep this with the rest, Bre—" She used the casual nickname, another charming smile playing on her lips.
Oh my grace, a nickname? She's… oddly compelling for a woman, Brenda thought, flustered.
Mental manipulation—easy. Thanks to my idiot brothers. I saw how she acted around them. Since we share the same face, it wasn't hard to redirect that fixation. Creepy if you say it out loud, but effective. Every move had a purpose. Kindness was just another tool.
"Shall we?" G6 said, pulling Brenda from her thoughts.
Brenda shook herself slightly. "Allow me to secure these first." She opened a vacant glass cabinet and stored the outfit with care.
Task complete, she rejoined G6 at the door, her demeanor now markedly more attentive.
「BASTION OF PHALANX DEPT.」
Prince Dio and Keith walked the second-floor hallway toward Prince Dio's office. Keith trailed alongside, likely seeking an opportunity to provoke.
They paused outside the door. Across his office, the Queen's butler, Leo, was emerging from a room that had stood empty for weeks.
"Unusual to see Leo here," Keith remarked.
Leo noticed them and bowed. "Good morning, Your Highness. Lord Keith."
"Good morning, Leo," Prince Dio replied.
"Hey, you too," Keith said, characteristically casual.
"It is rare to find you in this wing, Leo," Prince Dio observed. "What brings you to that vacant chamber?"
"Her Majesty instructed its preparation. It will be occupied shortly."
"By whom?" Prince Dio's tone sharpened. "I've received no report of new arrivals. The Guild is silent on the matter."
Leo hesitated. Reise—or rather, G6—was not Guild-registered. "Her Majesty may not have filed the report yet. However, Lady Reise has already begun her tour. I was just on my way to meet her below."
"Reise?" Prince Dio's brow furrowed.
"Wait—our Reise?" Keith interjected.
"Yes, Lord Keith."
"Why is she here? Another ploy to insert herself into my sphere?" Prince Dio's voice was cold.
Keith shot him an irritated glance.
"You misunderstand, Your Highness. She is unaware she will be stationed here. Her purpose is a matter solely between herself and the Queen."
A gag order? Prince Dio's mind raced.
"Well, I'm coming down. Kinda miss Reise…" Keith grinned, as if a favorite diversion had returned.
"Shall we, sir?" Leo said politely.
"I will join you," Prince Dio stated. "As department head, I should greet a new arrival personally." He wouldn't admit his own sharp curiosity to see her again.
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Keith said, and the three descended.
❈.❈.❈
Prince Dio and Keith stood just inside the Bastion's grand entrance, a few paces behind Leo, who waited with the poised calm of a man anticipating a storm. He knew G6 would not be pleased after the Queen's manipulations.
Eliza approached, spotting them. "Good morning, Prince Dio. Lord Keith."
Prince Dio offered a curt nod. Keith gave a distracted wave. Their attention was fixed on the doorway.
A bright, youthful voice cut the air. "We're here, Lady Reise! The Bastion!" Lilia emerged first, beaming.
Then, she appeared.
The woman in black stood framed in the vast archway, morning light haloing her form. It was Reise, yet not the Reise they knew. She had always possessed a cold, untouchable beauty—but this was different. It wasn't just the dark elegance of the dress or the new severity of her style. It was in her stance, the quiet lethality in her gaze, the way she occupied space as if she owned it.
For Prince Dio, time seemed to slow. This was not the jealous, scheming rose he was accustomed to dismissing. This was someone… reconfigured. Someone whose presence hummed with a latent, formidable energy. His breath caught, suspended between memory and startling revelation.
Nearby, Keith stood uncharacteristically still. The usual teasing glint in his eyes had softened into something deeper, something raw and unmistakably captivated. No joke rose to his lips. He could only watch, utterly disarmed, as the woman he'd always known stepped into the light—transformed, dazzling, and entirely herself.
And there, under the morning sun at the entrance of the Bastion, two men who had known her all her life felt the ground shift beneath them—each falling into a different kind of silence, each utterly unprepared for the woman who had just arrived.
—To Be Continued…—