Central City of Hestia, Kingdom of Asteria.
A man walked down the hospital corridor, a bouquet of flowers resting in his hand. Each step was met with friendly nods from the staff, who seemed to recognize him well. He paused here and there for brief pleasantries before continuing on his way.
His all-white attire—distinctive of the Kingdom of Asteria—made him easy to identify. The tailoring was immaculate, a clean contrast to his neatly combed black hair—enough to draw attention from anyone who passed by.
A few minutes later, he arrived at the patient room he had been heading toward. The person he was worried about was inside.
He placed his palm against the square panel beside the door. A green light blinked on. The metallic door slid open slowly.
"Good morning, Carina."
"Good morning, Ryo."
Carina lay in the hospital bed, reading a book. She slipped a bookmark between the pages and set it down on the bedside table.
"How are you feeling?" Ryo asked, placing the bouquet beside it.
"Much better."
Ryo's gaze dropped to her shoulder, still wrapped in bandages. "I didn't expect you to be injured that badly."
Carina gave a faint smile. "Well… I was a little careless. But I can handle this much."
Ryo sighed. "Honestly…"
Carina let out a bitter chuckle. "Sorry."
He pulled a chair closer and sat beside her bed. "Don't you have Invincible Counter?"
"I used it. Still failed."
Ryo frowned. "Failed? How?"
"Before the large-scale assault, I fought one of them one-on-one. She was strong. Strong enough to force me into Core-Up mode." Carina paused. "But… something was strange."
"Strange?"
She fell silent, recalling her battle from the previous night with the Black Cloak girl.
Then she activated a holographic panel and projected the image of a girl.
"Take a look. Do you know her?"
Ryo studied the face. "No. She's the one you fought?"
"Yes. When I slashed her in Core-Up mode, I felt something inside her body. Not the chip I extracted—something else. For a split second, it was like a faint light in the middle of darkness."
"A light?"
"My blade couldn't reach it. And suddenly, my invincibility ability shut down. After that… I took her attack."
"So that's why you struggled to evade the following wave?"
Carina nodded. "It took a while for my invincible state to reactivate. Luckily… I survived."
Ryo looked again at the girl in the projection—Azca.
If even Carina had been pushed that far, then this girl was clearly no ordinary opponent.
He knew Carina's capabilities well. Even without an Ultimate Core, she had once held off an entire battalion alone. Just last night, she had repelled a massive assault—even if it left her battered.
"By the way," Carina said, breaking the silence, "how did the meeting go last night?"
Ryo exhaled deeply. "A disaster."
"Huh? A disaster?"
"The two of them kept arguing and throwing jabs at each other. I was worried they'd actually start fighting. And Her Highness is stubborn as ever."
Carina chuckled softly. "You must've had your hands full."
"I'm exhausted just from listening to them."
"So… where is Her Highness now?"
"She said she had something to take care of. She'll return this afternoon."
"Something to take care of? What kind of business?"
"I don't know. Princess Avra just left."
For some reason, the air that morning felt unnaturally still—as if something were moving quietly within the shadows.
—
Garnha City, Nord District – Asteria.
In an office on the top floor of a towering building, a man stared tensely at a holographic screen. The recording of Azca and Carina's battle replayed on loop.
He spun a pen between his fingers unconsciously.
"So… the girl really does have potential," he muttered.
There was disappointment in losing his best pawn. But he couldn't complain—letting her go had been an order from above.
"But… why would that person order me to do all this?"
Suddenly, an incoming call flashed across the holographic screen.
[UNKNOWN]
He hesitated—then accepted.
A cheerful voice greeted him from the other end.
"[Good morning, Mr. Joseph!]"
"…Who are you?" Joseph demanded.
"[I heard… you sent quite a large force last night… to attack my adorable escort, didn't you?]"
His body stiffened. He recognized the voice.
"What do you want?"
"[What do I want? I should be the one asking that.]"
The cheerful tone thinned—turned cold.
"[What are you after from Carina? And who ordered you?]"
"I won't tell you!" Joseph barked.
"[Oh, that's unfortunate. I already asked your subordinates one by one… until they froze.]"
The faint crackling sound of ice echoed through the call. She must have eliminated them all.
Joseph swallowed.
"[I'm very tired today, Mr. Joseph. Could you just tell me?]"
"Stop joking! I'll never tell you!"
He tried to end the call—but it wouldn't disconnect.
"W-Why can't I shut it off?!"
"[Of course you can't. Who do you think I am?]"
Her voice dropped, icy and sharp.
"[I don't forgive anyone who lays a hand on my friend.]"
Joseph forced a laugh.
"You think catching me will be easy?! You won't succeed! You've hunted me for years—what's that gotten you?! You're still too small to deal with me!"
His provocation only fueled his own laughter.
On the other end, Avra remained silent.
But that didn't mean she was doing nothing.
"[You may still be roaming free. But you should know—I've been waiting for a moment like this. So I'd have a reason to kill you.]"
Joseph froze. "What do you mean?"
"[Have you never wondered… how I'm able to contact you?]"
"…?!"
"[Look behind you. At the window.]"
His blood ran cold. Sweat trickled down his spine.
He was on the top floor. No one could possibly be outside.
With trembling hands, he turned.
And then—
"[Found the rat.]" she said brightly.
Outside the window, level with his floor, a girl floated in midair. A massive snowflake-shaped radiance spread behind her like wings. Her white dress shimmered in the morning sunlight, her long black hair adorned with a crown.
Her smile was sweet.
Her eyes were not.
She raised her hand. Thousands of crystalline ice needles formed around her, all aimed at the room—at Joseph.
"Got you."
'Whoosh!'
The needles shot forward in unison.
Glass, walls, desks—everything shattered. Joseph's body was pierced mercilessly.
"AAARGH! AARGH—! AAARGH!"
His body began to erode, and he screamed in agony.
Blood painted the entire room. Everything lay in ruins.
Joseph collapsed to the floor—only his torso and head remaining intact.
Avra floated inside, approaching his dying form.
Her gaze softened.
"What I like about Genesta… is that they can survive even severe injuries. It means I can torment them longer."
"Y-You bitch—! Argh!"
Avra stepped closer, still smiling.
"Now then. Back to my question. What are you after from Carina? And who ordered you?"
"Go to hell, you fucking bitch!"
Her smile froze. "Still stubborn, I see."
Ice coiled into a blade in her hand. Its tip pressed against his neck.
"Your arms and legs are already gone. Yet you're still alive. I wonder… what happens if this part goes too?"
"H-He—?!"
Her blue eyes glowed.
"For a Genesta like you… would you still survive?"
Joseph trembled harder as the cold blade scraped against his throat. Fear of death clawed at him—but he remained silent.
Avra spoke again.
"I could pry open your head and scan your brain for information. But I don't want to stain my dress."
Joseph's eyes widened. His resolve began to crack.
"I'll take you to our lab instead. Of course, it will hurt terribly. Because we—" her smile sharpened, "—will carve your brain out while you're still alive."
"…!"
"So… which will it be?"
The cold pressing against his neck made him shudder uncontrollably. Terror consumed him.
He wouldn't survive after revealing it. The one who ordered him had warned him as much.
But at least… he might still live if Asteria imprisoned him.
Finally, Joseph broke.
"Fine… I'll tell you."
—
Asteria Palace.
"What? They're after Canopus Star?" Ryo stared in disbelief.
After receiving Princess Avra's call, he had immediately gone to see her.
"Yes. That's what Joseph said."
"But why?"
Princess Avra's eyes sharpened.
"To open the Ereshkigal dimensional gate."
"W-What?! I thought that gate was sealed away?!"
"It is. But…" She paused briefly. "Ryo. Besides locating its source, do you know how to open the Ereshkigal Gate?"
"No. How?"
She looked at him seriously.
"You need two compatible types of Ultimate Core. One of them is Canopus Star."
Ryo stiffened. "Then… the other one…"
"Yes. The Southern Star—Polaryze Star."
The room suddenly felt smaller.
"That means…" Ryo murmured, "the mastermind behind all this… likely already possesses that Core."
Avra nodded.
"Who is it?"
"I don't know. He hid his true identity even from Joseph."
Ryo took a slow breath, steadying himself.
"Is there anyone you suspect?"
Avra fell silent, fingers resting against her chin as she thought.
"I did suspect the Kingdom of Wolvord. But I don't have sufficient proof. Besides, what reason would they have to reopen that plague gate?"
"Then what about Avelion? I feel like they're hiding something as well."
"…Perhaps."
For some reason, her eyes turned distant after saying that—as if touched by a quiet loneliness.
Noticing the shift in her expression, Ryo changed the subject.
"Your Highness… what about Joseph? Did you imprison him?"
"Ah, Joseph?" she replied lightly. "After he confessed everything, I decided not to."
Ryo frowned. "Why?"
Avra looked at him with a bright expression.
"Well… I accidentally cut off his head."
※ ※ ※ (CHAPTER 03) ※ ※ ※