Judgement time is coming!

   Liam sat in the waiting room, his head hung low, his hands trembling slightly as the weight of failure pressed down on him. The sound of the exit door opening made him flinch, and he looked up to see Nikke standing there. Liam’s lip quivered as he looked at her, tears threatening to spill.

   “I’m sorry... Because of me, our plan won’t work out. I’ve disappointed you.”

   Without a word, Nikke rushed to him, pulling him into a tight hug. 

   “That’s not true at all. I know you gave it your all.”

   Liam sniffled, his voice filled with self-reproach. “But—”

   “I’ve seen all your matches, Liam." Nikke interrupted. "I saw you winning each one of them, like it was nothing. But this was the first... the first time I saw you truly enjoying yourself.” Her lips curled into the faintest smile. “You were really cool back there.”

   Her words caught him off guard. Guilt still tugged at his chest, but warmth flickered inside him at her honesty. “I…” he began, trying to apologize again.

   But Nikke gently pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him. “It’s okay. Besides… nothing is lost yet.”

   Liam blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”

   Before Nikke could answer, a familiar voice rang out from behind the door. “Sorry to spoil your moment, but can we come in now?”

   The door swung open, and I walked in, followed closely by Luna and Lilith.

   Liam’s expression instantly shifted, his sorrow replaced by raw anger. He clenched his fists and stormed toward me, his voice trembling with rage. 

   “You!!! Because of you, we—!”

   THUD!

   Before he could finish, Liam was already on the floor. Luna stood over him, her boot planted firmly on his back, her face as calm as ever.

   “Liam?!” Nikke exclaimed in shock.

   I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Luna…”

   “My deepest apologies, Master, but my leg reacted of its own accord.”

   “…”

   Yeah… she probably still held a grudge from that café incident. I will let it slide—this time. I mean... it is partly his fault after all.

   I pulled an Arcana card from my holder. It glowed with a soft green light before I tossed it toward Liam. The card shattered into fine powder, the healing mist settling over him. His bruises faded, and his strained breathing eased.

   As Liam slowly pushed himself up, I crouched slightly and asked, “Hey, you alright?”

   Still wincing, Liam sat up and glared at me. “What did you come here for? To boast about your victory?”

   Before I could reply, Nikke placed a hand on his shoulder. 

   “Relax, Liam. We’ve reached a deal. Mr. Noah here is going to help us.”

   Liam’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What…? Why would he—?”

   “In a nutshell, after Nikke tried to assault me in the men’s toilet, I learned about her true identity and your situation. Since your goals align with mine, I figured we could work together.”

   “I don’t think you could have summed it up any worse.” Nikke let out a sharp sigh.

   “But it’s the truth, isn’t it?”

   Her smile was sweet, but her eyes glinted with irritation. 

   “Maybe you should add the part how you almost took away my virtue?”

   I froze, panic shooting through me. “I-It wasn’t like that at all! That was an accident! And I’ve already apologized a million times!”

   The room grew heavy with tension. Liam’s glare could have burned a hole straight through me, while Lilith and Luna’s dark, unimpressed stares pressed down like weights. My throat tightened as the silence stretched.

   I cleared my throat awkwardly, forcing a smile. 

   “A-anyway!” I said a little too loudly. “I have a plan that should satisfy everyone. Can you hear me out for a bit?”

* * *

   The next day brought a tense atmosphere, and the Vermillion residence reflected it. The meeting room radiated aristocratic elegance: dark wood panels, a richly woven carpet, and a grand chandelier casting warm light over a polished coffee table surrounded by seating.

   Theodore Vermillion, the head of the Vermillion clan, sat alongside his wife. Across from them, Magnus and Freya Silverbane, dressed in their signature ostentatious style with Magnus’s suit adorned with gold embroidery and Freya’s gown shimmering with gems.

   “Thank you for coming,” Theodore began politely.

   “Thank you for the invitation,” Magnus replied. “I would also like to apologize for our son’s behavior.”

   “Me too." Freya added. "I promise that he will receive appropriate punishment.”

   Theodore waved off the comment lightly. “There’s no need for that. I must admit I rather enjoyed watching the duel. Besides, the fault doesn’t rest solely on your son. My daughter contributed to the incident as well.”

   Magnus chuckled softly. “Truly, with children, there are always only problems.”

   “Right... Let’s get to the specifics already.”

   “Of course. Since you invited us here, I trust I can expect a positive response to our engagement offer?”

   Theodore calmly took a sip of his tea, setting the delicate cup back on its saucer. 

   “There might be a little problem with that.”

   Magnus’s brow furrowed slightly. 

   “As it is, I realize a rumor is now spreading that this kid from the Naberius clan has won your daughter’s hand in a duel, but we both know that isn’t true. In time, the rumor will subside, and until then, the engagement can be kept secret—”

   “That’s not the problem. I simply don’t intend to let our daughter engaged to your son.”

   Magnus laughed lightly, though an edge of irritation crept into his voice. 

   “With all due respect, I don’t think you understand your position, do you? If you don’t agree, that would be the end of this clan. We both know very well that you are no fool, Theodore.”

   Theodore chuckled under his breath. His calm, almost mocking tone resonated in the room. 

   “If anyone here doesn’t understand their position, it is rather you.”

   Magnus blinked in surprise, caught off guard by Theodore’s confident demeanor. 

   “What are you implying?”

   Theodore turned toward the grand double doors at the entrance of the room. 

   “You can come in now.”

   The doors creaked open, and I entered. Magnus’s face tightened with annoyance as his gaze landed on the unexpected guest. 

   “Why is he here?”

   I spoke with a cool elegance, bowing slightly. 

   “I think this is our first meeting, Mr. Silverbane. My name is Noah Naberius, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

   Magnus’s irritation deepened, but before he could respond, I continued. 

   “As for your question—before I answer, I’d like everyone to take their seats.”

   I moved to one of the armchairs and sat down gracefully. Behind me came Lilith, bowing politely before sitting with her parents.

   A third figure followed Lilith into the room. She was a striking young woman with a mature but playful presence, her short ginger hair framing her face in soft waves. Her piercing yellow eyes held an almost mischievous glint. 

   She walked in with Liam, who carried a heavy stack of documents. Liam placed the papers neatly on the coffee table and stood beside us.

   Magnus narrowed his eyes. “Liam, why are you here? And who are they?”

   The young woman tilted her head, lips curling into a devilish grin. She leaned slightly toward him, her tone mockingly sweet. “Oh, Mr. Silverbane, that hurts. You don’t recognize me? I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, and you don’t even remember me?”

   Magnus’s eyes flickered with hesitation, but Freya reacted instantly. Her face went pale, voice trembling. “N-no way! After all, you—!”

   The woman said nothing more. She simply sat with elegance, legs crossed, hands folded in her lap, her smile sharpening as silence thickened.

   Some of you may be confused. Let’s start with this girl’s name: Laura Silverbane. Technically, she is Liam’s older sister—the one who supposedly died about many years ago in a tragic accident. Until recently, however, she was better known as a butler named Nikke.

   To explain this, we’ll need to rewind the clock a bit…