The eminence of a true king

"Sherry Barnett. Faruzan. I'm counting on you two to help us analyze this relic."

Iris placed an elegant box on the table, opening it in front of the two academic geniuses. Inside rested a silver metallic disc with a red gem embedded in the center—it resembled a pendant with an ancient and mysterious appearance.

"This artifact was found in the ruins of a base belonging to the so-called Cult of Diablos. So far, it's our only solid lead regarding the recent attacks."

She took a deep breath, then bowed her head slightly out of respect.

"Unfortunately, the Knights lack the expertise for this kind of analysis. That's why I'm here, humbly asking for your help."

Normally, a request like this from the first princess of the Kingdom of Midgar would be impossible to refuse. But geniuses… well, they rarely follow conventional logic.

"Well… even though I have some talent for this kind of thing, I'm still just a student," Sherry murmured. "I think I'd better decline."

"Yeah, no offense, but I'm working on a much more interesting project right now," added Faruzan, crossing her arms and wrinkling her nose. "That thing looks cool and all, but… I'll pass."

As previously mentioned, the two girls were named Sherry and Faruzan. The first was very shy, and the second, very arrogant. The contrast was obvious, yet both expressed their rejection.

Iris kept her composure, though Alexia, standing beside her, looked visibly annoyed.

Still, Iris seemed to have expected that kind of response. After all, being a genius herself, she understood how brilliant minds worked.

She made a subtle gesture, and a gray-haired man beside her—clearly a respected figure—stepped forward.

"Sherry," he said in a firm voice.

"I know you're still a student, but you're this country's leading expert on ancient relics. This request is a direct offer from Lady Iria herself. It will help you in the future."

"...If you say so, father..." Sherry nodded with a faint blush. She was shy, but all it took was a small push to activate her talent. Her insecurity never reflected her true ability.

On the other side of the table, Faruzan was still distracted, examining the runic characters engraved on one of the relic stands.

"Ahem, Faruzan..." Iris called again.

She then discreetly pulled out a check and slid it over to the green-haired girl.

"What's this?" Faruzan asked, still sounding uninterested.

"An advance payment. The final amount will be double this."

Faruzan's heterochromatic eyes widened. She nearly dropped the stand she was holding.

"This much… and it'll double later? My research funding is secured!"

"Faruzan?"

"Ahem! I gladly accept the commission!"

Iris smiled in relief. Eccentric as they were, those two were, in fact, the kingdom's top authorities on relics. With them involved, the investigation would proceed in earnest.

"The safety of both of you will be the responsibility of my newly formed order of Knights," Iris continued.

"After all, we can't rule out the possibility that both the Cult of Diablos and Night Raid might come after you."

"What? A new order of knights?" Alexia raised an eyebrow. "Formed by you?"

Iris nodded firmly.

"After your kidnapping, I realized I could no longer trust the current structure of the knights. So, I formed a new order: the Red Knights. They're few, but loyal. They won't betray me."

Alexia clenched her fists.

The swordmaster Zenon Griffey, once the kingdom's pride, had turned out to be a member of the Cult of Diablos. Worse: some knights had conspired with him in the attack against Leon.

She understood her sister's distrust.

"Since the team is small, let me join too."

"No," Iris replied immediately.

Alexia insisted. "I witnessed that battle… I saw the fight between Midnight and Zenon with my own eyes. As a princess, I have a responsibility too."

"Alexia, you're still recovering from that incident. I won't let you take risks again."

"Oh, really? Then maybe I should tell everyone about your favorite teddy bear..."

"Alexia..."

"...Or your spiky bunny pajamas, or the nights when you talk in your sleep..."

"ENOUGH!!" Iris lunged forward and covered her sister's mouth with her hands, her face crimson with embarrassment.

"Welcome to the team, Alexia. I'll assign you safe tasks. Sherry, Faruzan, the relic analysis is in your hands. And please, forget what you just heard."

"Okay, okay..." the two responded in unison, trying to suppress their laughter.

Still blushing, Iris sighed deeply.

"Lastly… I ask that this matter be treated with the utmost confidentiality. No one must know about it under any circumstances. Understood?"

"Yes!" the three replied in chorus.

---

Half an hour later…

"So that's it. Iris recruited Sherry Barnett and Faruzan to analyze the relics from the Cult of Diablos base."

Alexia told everything to Leon — with zero regard for the promise of secrecy.

"Interesting..." Leon scratched his chin thoughtfully. "This relic sounds more complex than I thought. Now I'm curious."

"If Iris finds out you told me everything, she'll cry herself into a puddle and maybe chase you down with her sword," Leon added.

(You betrayed her way too fast. And without hesitation. Good thing I planted a geass on you.)

"Please. Iris and her knights don't stand a chance against the Cult of Diablos. It's up to us — to Night Raid — to handle this. I'm helping the country."

"...You've adapted way too quickly to all of this, Alexia. It's concerning."

She didn't deny it. Instead, she looked at Leon with conviction.

"I saw the power gap with my own eyes. This war won't be won with good intentions or a new order of knights. Only Night Raid has the real strength to fight the cult."

Leon crossed his arms, resigned.

"So what do you plan to do now, little traitor?"

"What do YOU plan to do now, m-a-s-t-e-r!" Alexia said with a smile, her intentions for the day crystal clear.

"Stop! You're giving me chills!" He took a step back. "...Anyway, I need to contact Sherry and Faruzan. If they become targets, we'll have bigger problems."

---

(End of Chapter)

"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."