of Barmelin's expression of hate. Barmelin always talked to others like she was an elder.

Synola hummed.

She entered the palace and halted her steps.

"Your Majesty," Kanaris said, waiting in the private room for the King. As a shadow Military Artist, she had been using this palace. She looked like the Queen, as if she were Synola's shadow.

"Where have you gone to? I asked Delbone-sama, but she wouldn't tell me a thing. I've been looking for you."

"That's one of the seven secrets of the Queen."

"That's just......" Kanaris sighed.

This wasn't fun at all. Synola wouldn't have minded if she kept asking "what are the other six secrets?" or something like that.

"So what is it? It's late."

"I have something to report."

"What is it?" she looked at the document in her hand.

A gene report. But the name of the person who wrote this report wasn't on the document. On the other hand, someone else's name was on it.

"What do you mean?" Synola.... Alsheyra asked.

"...... I did this while Your Majesty was outside posing as Synola. I'm sorry. I wasn't interested in it at the beginning, but my thinking changed after so many things have happened."

"Uh......"

"Why did Grendan appear before that girl? Because of the filth monster? But Your Majesty has already controlled the Haikizoku. Your Majesty wouldn't have ignored it, besides, you were already there. You could have arrived there before Grendan showed up without the girl noticing. But Grendan appeared before her as if to become her shield."

Alsheyra's gaze kept glued to the name on the report.

"My doubt began there. I took a strand of hair from that girl and did an investigation...... And the result is what you're seeing now."

It was easy for Kanaris to take a strand of hair of a normal person. And then she knew about her.

"Your Majesty, you know......!"

It was enough.

"Kanaris. I knew. This isn't because you've overstepped."

She grabbed hold of Kanaris's neck and lifted her up. Her eyes rolled to show white.

"But you're too loyal to your duty. This isn't loyalty to me. If I weren't the Queen, you'd probably carry out your duty under the next King."

"Ah.... Wu....! Wu!"

She coldly watched her struggling legs.

Should she kill her off here? This woman knew. It wasn't strange for Alsheyra to know since she was from the royal line.

"But you're now my subordinate. You must finish your mission under my orders. Don't you think you shouldn't do what I don't wish to be done? Though you're good at preparations, can't you give my feelings some consideration?"

"........"

The legs gradually stopped struggling. No more strength to even make a noise. Alsheyra released her hold.

"You're wrong if you think I can't kill you...... I won't allow this to happen again."

"I'm.... very sorry."

Alsheyra destroyed the report and returned to her private room. The Kei in her hand had turned the document into powder in an instant. The maids coming in tomorrow would clean that up. The Queen cocked her head at the powder.

She recalled the name on the document.

Herder Eutnohl, the eldest son of Eutnohl, one of the three royal families. He was her fiancé. If she had married him, they would have given birth to a child who would have borne Leerin's fate. But he had eloped with a normal girl. He was a fool under a curse.

"Why did you stay in Grendan. You idiot......"

According to the calculations based on the year when he went missing, Leerin's age matched the results perfectly. She understood that. She had already considered this possibility.

She just didn't want to confirm it.