The moment Aeliana entered the room, everyone straightened their backs.
All except for Azriel and Jasmine greeted the Crimson Queen with a bow of their heads and a thump of their right fists.
Mira was the last to enter, quietly closing the wooden door behind them.
Without so much as a glance at her two children, Aeliana walked past them toward her desk.
She wore a deep scarlet dress, the fabric flowing effortlessly with each step, complementing the fiery red of her eyes.
It draped over her frame with an almost otherworldly grace, adding to the presence she already exuded.
Azriel watched silently, pursing his lips as his mother sat down behind the desk.
She crossed her legs, her eyes sweeping over everyone in the room without a trace of emotion.
Lumine and Yelena shivered as they met her gaze.
When her eyes finally landed on Azriel, she narrowed them, carefully assessing his condition.
After a moment, she closed them again and shifted her attention back to Lumine and Yelena.
“Lady Mira has already informed me of the situation. Tell me, Cadet Lumine, Cadet Yelena, how did the two of you come across such classified information so quickly?”
Aeliana spoke in a tone devoid of warmth, her voice carrying the weight of command.
Azriel and Jasmine both furrowed their brows slightly at Aeliana’s words.
‘So it’s true… Father really is at the Sunken Islands.’
Glancing at Lumine and Yelena, Azriel saw they were unable to respond, their nerves seemingly locking their throats.
Azriel sighed inwardly.
He couldn’t blame them—his mother’s presence was overwhelming.
He, on the other hand, had lived his whole life around such figures, and he barely felt it anymore.
“That’s because of Lumine’s [unique skill]. It’s similar to what a seer might possess, but different,” Azriel said calmly, answering for them both.
All heads turned to him.
Aeliana raised an eyebrow, though her face quickly returned to its usual unreadable expression.
‘It’s better if I speak for them…’
Azriel knew Lumine might accidentally reveal more than necessary, especially with how overwhelmed Yelena seemed.
“Setting aside how he learned about Father, does this mean you don’t deny he’s in danger?”
Azriel steered the conversation toward the subject that he, Jasmine, and the others were undoubtedly most concerned about.
Aeliana stared at him for a moment before sighing softly.
She nodded, though only slightly.
“‘Danger’ is a heavy word to use, but at the very least, we’ve lost all communication with him and his team as of yesterday.”
“Where was he last seen?”
Jasmine asked, her face unchanged, though Azriel detected the impatience and worry she was hiding.
“The Sunken Islands.”
When Aeliana revealed this, the atmosphere shifted.
Almost everyone’s face fell, their expressions darkening.
“So he made it there before we lost him…” Amaya murmured, standing beside Azriel.
Azriel glanced around, noticing the tension weighing on the room.
His eyes met Aeliana’s once more, and they held each other’s gaze.
She narrowed her eyes, seemingly puzzled by how calm Azriel appeared.
‘This is going to be troublesome…’
It wasn’t what his mother might think of him right now that troubled him.
It was what Azriel knew—things that none of the others in the room had even an inkling of.
Unlike the rest, Azriel had more knowledge about the Void Realm than they could imagine.
During his time as Leo, he had obsessed over learning everything he could about this world.
And that was why Mira and Amaya looked so concerned.
‘Nothing is known about the Sunken Islands…’
Just like in the books.
Unfortunately, the Sunken Islands weren’t well-documented.
And worse, they were a no-rift zone.
Joaquin, despite being a Grade 3 Saint, wouldn’t be able to open a Void Rift to return.
Azriel shook his head slightly.
‘I can’t rely on what I know from the book anymore. Who knows what’s changed?’
Lost in thought, Azriel barely noticed the look his mother gave him. Jasmine spoke again, her voice steady.
“I’ll go.”
The room fell silent as everyone looked at Jasmine, their surprise evident.
Aeliana’s expression became unreadable as she regarded her daughter.
“I need privacy with my daughter. The rest of you may leave. We’ll discuss our next course of action soon.”
Everyone began to move, nodding in acknowledgment.
Azriel stood up, glancing at Nol and Amaya, who had already left.
‘So, I should leave as well, I suppose?’
Before he could follow, Aeliana’s voice stopped him.
“You stay.”
His lips twitched into a bitter smile as he sat back down.
‘Never mind.’
When the door closed, Aeliana’s demeanor softened considerably.
She stood and walked around her desk, her expression betraying the worry she felt for her children.
“Are you both injured?” she asked, her voice softer than before.
Jasmine shook her head.
“No, I’m fine. So is Azriel… now, after the healer came.”
Both turned to look at Azriel, who tried to avoid their gazes, pretending he hadn’t noticed.
“Azriel.”
“Y-yes, Mother?”
Stiffly, he turned to face her. She was watching him intently.
“How is your hand?”
To his surprise, her tone was filled with concern as she glanced at his right hand.
Azriel sighed, relieved, before offering her a reassuring smile.
“It’s fine. Good as new, really. You don’t have to worry.”
She hesitated but eventually nodded, leaning against the desk as she turned her attention back to Jasmine.
“There’s a lot I want to say, but it seems we’re in difficult circumstances these past few days. You said you wanted to go and save your father. You understand how dangerous it is, right?”
Jasmine nodded firmly. She had visited the Void Realm only a few times, and never outside the human-conquered zones, but her resolve didn’t waver.
“The Sunken Islands are something all four clans desire to capture. With everyone focused on the incident at CASC, this is the best opportunity. I could go without attracting attention. Sending a trustworthy team with multiple masters or above would take too much time, and word would spread. It’s best if I do this quickly.”
The danger of the Sunken Islands lay in its mystery.
But nothing notably dangerous had been discovered in recent years, which only added to its risk.
Aeliana sighed.
“You know the consequences if something happens to you?”
Jasmine nodded again.
“I can handle it.”
After a moment, Aeliana nodded in return.
“Give me time to think.”
Jasmine smiled slightly.
“Thank you, Mom.”
Aeliana returned the smile, then turned her gaze to Azriel.
“Now, my daughter, your little brother and I have some things to discuss.”
‘Fuck…’
Azriel glanced at Jasmine, who smirked at him before walking out, leaving him alone with their mother.
The door closed behind her with a quiet thud.
“What were you thinking?”
Azriel tried to smile softly, but Aeliana’s sharp tone made it difficult.
“…To get some sleep and food?” he responded.
Aeliana’s lips twitched.
“You think this is funny, Azriel? Do you even realize what you’ve done?”
Azriel’s faint smile vanished as he nodded, his expression turning serious.
“Of course I do. You think I’d do something like this without reason?”
“…Why?”
Her question caught him off guard, and Azriel hesitated as Aeliana continued.
“What reason could possibly justify getting involved with terrorists? Terrorists with saints in their ranks. You fought one of those saints, nearly losing your life multiple times—do you even understand how reckless that was?”
Azriel’s eyes met his mother’s, her voice laced with concern. She wasn’t angry, she was afraid for him.
“I needed to achieve something, to stand on equal ground with the others,” he finally said.
Aeliana raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
“You expect me to believe that? You—who doesn’t even want to be king and has handed the throne to your sister without a second thought. I can’t tell what it is you want. You’ve hidden everything so well, played it all so perfectly. How long did it take to achieve this victory?
How could you look so calm, so collected, knowing that every moment could’ve been your last, that one mistake would have cost you everything?”
Azriel’s expression darkened as his mother’s words cut deep.
“There was a time,” she continued, “when I wished you would put in the same effort as the other children. But now… I think I’m starting to regret ever wishing that.”
‘Don’t…’
A sharp crack echoed through the room.
Azriel’s hand gripped the armrest of the chair so tightly it began to splinter. His jaw clenched as he stared at her, trying to keep himself composed.
He had tried. But her words struck a nerve, pulling at memories he had buried deep, things he had vowed never to let resurface.
Before he could stop himself, his voice came out cold, almost unrecognizable.
“Then what is it you want from me?”
“Azriel…?”
Aeliana’s eyes widened at the sudden change in his demeanor.
Azriel froze, her concerned tone pulling him back to himself. His own eyes widened in shock as he realized what he had just done. He quickly forced himself to calm down.
“…Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that.”
But his apology only deepened her worry.
“Don’t hold back. If you have something to say, then say it.”
Since he was a child, Azriel had always been difficult to read.
He rarely opened up, never let anyone see too deep inside—not even his own mother could truly understand what went on in his mind most of the time.
So, if there was a chance to break through that wall, she wasn’t going to let it slip away.
But Azriel just shook his head.
“I just lost control for a moment… I’m sorry. Can we continue?”
“No.”
As stubborn as Azriel was, his mother was more so.
“If you’re angry, then shout. If you’re sad, cry. If you’re happy, laugh. I don’t want my son bottling up his emotions. Believe me, I did that for two years, and it broke me in ways you can’t imagine. I was lucky—I managed to piece myself back together before things got worse.”
Azriel remained silent, her words sinking into him like stones. His fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, but his thoughts were a mess, tangled in frustration and guilt.
He opened his mouth to speak… but nothing came out. His mind screamed for an answer, but the words wouldn’t form.
His face twisted in pain and frustration. He wanted to say something—anything. But all that came was a single word, whispered through his cracked voice.
“…Dammit.”