Chapter 138: Chapter-138

As soon as Elara stepped down into Duke Romian’s estate, three swords—knight swords—pointed directly at her neck.

She stopped. Didn’t flinch. Just looked forward calmly.

The one leading them was none other than the fox knight. The two others standing beside him were human knights. All three looked at Elara and smiled.

“They know now, Princess,” the fox knight said, his voice completely different from the respectful tone he’d always used. Confident. Almost mocking. “Follow us.”

The sword pressed closer to her neck—not cutting, but the threat was explicit.

Elara looked at the blade, then at the fox knight. Without saying anything, she followed them.

They didn’t guide her toward her room. Not toward Duke Romian’s chambers. Not toward any of the usual meeting spaces.

They guided her directly to the dining room.

As she entered, the first thing she saw was the Emperor sitting in the main chair at the head of the table. His legs were crossed casually. He looked at her with a smile—warm, almost paternal—and said, “Oh, my daughter. You’re back.”

Elara looked at him, her expression unchanged, and said in a plain tone, “It’s quite a strange way of welcoming, Father.”

The Emperor’s smile brightened. “Well, what can I say? I was just joking. Thought I’d have a little fun with you.”

Elara turned to look at the fox knight, whose sword was still pointed at her neck. “But it doesn’t look like the seventh brother wants to lower this sword.”

Silence.

Complete, stunned silence.

The Emperor’s smile froze. His face shifted—not quite pale, but something close. Shock. Genuine shock.

“You—” he started. “What did you just say?”

Elara turned back to look at the fox knight directly. “Brother, don’t you think you should lower this sword?”

Her eyes scanned the room slowly, taking in every detail with mechanical precision.

That’s when she saw it.

On the ground, near the Emperor’s feet, was Duke Romian. Not dead. Not bleeding. Just kneeling there, head bowed in perfect submission, like a servant waiting for orders.

Elara let out a small laugh—dry, emotionless. “What happened, honey? You remember your old master?”

The Emperor stared at her, then said slowly, “Hmm. Quite smart.”

Elara looked at him, her expression blank but her voice carrying a edge of cold amusement. She smiled—not warmly, just a facial expression that acknowledged the absurdity—and said, “If I’m not wrong, soon your second… or third… what should I call her… daughter would be arriving.”

The door opened.

Sera entered.

She looked at Elara with an impressed expression and said, “Wow, Sis. I didn’t know you were so smart and capable.”

Elara just looked at her, then said calmly, “So what should I call you? The Second Princess? Lira? Rina? Something like that, right?”

Another stunned silence.

This one felt like a death sentence had just been spoken.

The fox knight lowered his sword slowly. He walked over to a chair beside the Emperor, sat down casually, and looked at Elara with genuine interest. “Interesting.”

Then he waved his hand, and the beast ears and tail that had defined his appearance for six months simply… vanished. Disappeared like illusions dissolving.

Sitting there now was a young man—maybe twenty-five, with sharp features, golden eyes, and an expression of calculated amusement.

“I’m Prince Rony Blackwood,” he said. “Seventh Prince. Pleasure to finally drop the act.”

He gestured lazily toward Sera. “And yes, that’s Second Princess Lira Blackwood. Though she’s been calling herself ’Sera’ for the past few years as part of Father’s game.”

Elara looked at him, then at Sera—Lira—then back at the Emperor.

“Well, well, well,” Rony said, leaning back in his chair. “Now that you know, how was the trip? The fake convoy, the hidden location, all of it?”

Elara smiled slightly. “I thought you guys were going to play more. I didn’t think you would just blow the cover like this.”

She pulled out a chair—ignoring the human knights still standing behind her with weapons drawn—and sat down. Crossed her legs. Looked at all of them with analytical calm.

“So let’s think about the reason. Why? You’ve been playing quite the game for the last few years. Even these last six months—or should I say seven? I can’t even remember anymore. So why did you come out right now?”

She tapped her fingers on the table thoughtfully.

“Ah, is it because Duke’s estate has completely absorbed all my experiments? My money? Every resource I had?”

She paused.

“Wait. Or is it because you wanted to make sure I couldn’t use my magic power completely?”

She looked at them, smiled coldly, and raised her hand toward the knights behind her. “Calm down, guys. It’s not like you’re going to kill me right now. You can at least finish the story first.”

She settled more comfortably in the chair, looking at each of them in turn.

“Hmm. So what was your purpose? Getting rid of the First Consort and her real daughter, Eleana?”

She counted on her fingers.

“Let me think. Aesthetically, you have fifteen to seventeen children. Among those are princes and princesses. Seven princesses total. If we remove the Fourth Sister—” she gestured at herself, “—that leaves about three more princesses. Of those, two are still children. One is a fool that you’re planning to marry off, if I’m not wrong.”

She looked at Rony. “And then come the princes. Well, princes are really good to marry off too, so that’s also convenient.”

Her gaze shifted to the Emperor.

“So let me guess. The reason you came out right now is because today you’ll kill me. And tomorrow, you’ll announce that the Fourth Princess died by suicide after taking revenge for her mother. Or maybe—” she glanced at Sera/Lira, “—you were going to use the story that the Sixth Princess felt guilty after killing her sister and couldn’t handle it, so she chose death.”

Her voice stayed perfectly flat.

“So which is it, Father? What’s the story?”

The Emperor looked at her for a long moment.

Then he burst into laughter. Genuine, delighted laughter.

“Oh God!” he said, wiping his eyes. “Here I thought you were just a useless fool. But it looks like my daughter is really something. You guessed it exactly right.”

He leaned forward, still grinning.

“But how did you know that he—” he gestured at Rony, “—is your seventh brother?”

Elara turned to look at Rony with cold assessment.

“Well, for a beast knight, he’s not quite loyal.”

Both the Emperor and Rony looked at each other with confusion.

“What do you mean?” Rony asked.

Elara’s expression didn’t change. “First, whether you talk about his ears and tail or not—you know, it doesn’t look that good on you.”

Rony just snapped his fingers. The illusion of beast features flickered and vanished completely, confirming they’d been fake all along.

He looked at her directly. “So now, dear sister, answer me. How did you know it was me?”

Elara’s voice stayed analytical, clinical.

“No beast knight who dares to say a word to royalty without their order. It’s the first rule that every beast knight has to follow.”

She looked at Rony.

“But isn’t it quite funny? Only you were one of the beast knights who spoke to me without any hesitation. You asked for permission sometimes, but most of the time you spoke without me even saying anything. Don’t you think that’s strange?”

Silence.

Rony stared at her. Then he laughed again—this time with genuine respect.

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