"It's almost time."
Leon muttered to himself as he walked through the quiet streets of Mondstadt.
The bright glow of the moon bathed the cobblestone path in silver light. As Leon gazed up at the endless expanse of stars, his thoughts drifted toward the uncertain path that lay ahead of him.
Many of his plans were nearing completion.
The Night Raid had already infiltrated the upper echelons of Sumeru's royal court, and soon the stage would be fully set—for Leon to make his move and claim that kingdom for himself.
Meanwhile, in Britannia, the revelation of the King of Knights' true gender had plunged the land into turmoil. Artoria Pendragon was now overwhelmed, forced to suppress uprisings that erupted all across her realm.
Despite wielding the Sword of Promised Victory and the divine scabbard Avalon, even she was beginning to show exhaustion under the endless strain of rebellion.
[After conquering Sumeru… will the next stage be the King of Knights herself? Hah, how exciting.]
And then, there was Renner—who had been causing quite the stir lately.
The golden-haired princess was systematically overthrowing her brothers one by one. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the king passed the crown to her.
If that brilliant princess—blessed with a mind far beyond ordinary humans—were to become queen, the nation of warriors would surely rise to new heights.
But… Renner had no interest in the throne.
The only thing she desired was to trade her beauty and her crown for Leon's love—nothing more.
"Well, her personality doesn't really mesh with mine. That princess is a wolf wearing a sheep's skin."
Leon's expression twisted into a faint grimace as he spoke to himself.
To Princess Renner, family and kingdom alike were things that could be discarded at will.
For Leon's affection, she would even be willing to murder her own father, the closest person in her bloodline, with her own hands.
Her face might be beautiful… but inside that girl resided a monster.
Then again, in a way, Leon could be considered a monster too. At least, in terms of power—he had already surpassed the limits of human capability.
Yet even so, he was nothing like Renner.
Though he bore monstrous strength, Leon still possessed a human heart.
Renner, however, was the opposite.
Her body might have been that of a normal human, but her mind… was something far darker.
Cold. Cruel. Twisted. Depraved. Diseased.
"I'll have to find a way to tame her," Leon murmured, narrowing his eyes.
He knew what kind of person Renner was. People like her were often called yanderes—but what set her apart from the typical type was her intelligence. Her IQ was so high that ordinary people mistook her calculated madness for simple lunacy.
Renner didn't need raw power to control others. She could manipulate people effortlessly with nothing but her words.
Still, from another perspective, she was already completely and utterly ensnared by Leon.
First, his intellect was no lesser than hers.
Second, no amount of plotting could ever match absolute power. Even if she someday turned against him, Leon could crush every scheme she devised through sheer force.
"Well, there's nothing to worry about then," he said, stretching his arms as he yawned. "I can probably stay in Mondstadt for two or three more days. Might as well enjoy this little vacation."
Instead of heading toward the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, Leon turned his steps toward Jean and Barbara's home, knowing the sisters were likely waiting for him.
After all, his next steps involved the conquest of the three great kingdoms—plans that would surely keep him occupied for a long time. For now, he intended to make the most of the peaceful time he had with them.
But at that very moment—
"Get away from me, you bastard!"
"Damn it! A criminal from the Lawrence family dares show her face in Mondstadt?!"
Leon frowned and halted in his tracks.
The words Lawrence Family immediately caught his attention. If someone from the family he had once ordered executed was still alive… there could only be one.
Eula Lawrence.
Turning toward the commotion, he saw a blue-haired girl covered in bruises, collapsed on the ground, desperately resisting a drunken man leering over her—his intentions as clear as they were vile.
"You're just the descendant of a criminal bloodline," the drunk sneered. "You're lucky Prince Leon didn't kill you himself. I'll make your body pay for your family's sins."
"You worthless scum! Stay away from me! I won't be touched by filth like you! I swear, I'll scream!"
"Go ahead and scream! Even if someone hears you, who in Mondstadt would stand up for a criminal like you?"
As the man's filthy hand reached toward her chest, Eula's eyes shut tight in despair.
Had she not been so gravely injured—had she the strength to lift her greatsword—she could have crushed a drunkard like him with ease.
But now, seeing that hand coming closer, even a warrior as proud as she was couldn't stop the tears that welled up from helplessness and rage.
And the man's words echoed cruelly in her mind:
No one in Mondstadt would help a descendant of the Lawrence family.
That truth was carved into her very blood—the centuries of sin her ancestors had left behind.
Yet even so…
[Is there anyone… anyone who would help me?]
At that desperate moment, her silent wish was granted.
"I didn't expect to see such a pathetic sight on such a beautiful night. Have you already forgotten the law?"
Her savior's voice cut through the night like thunder.
"P–Prince?!"
Eula's eyes flew open wide. She stared at Leon in shock, her mind blank with disbelief.
"Who the hell dares interrupt me—?!" the drunk roared, spinning around. But the instant he saw that black hair and those violet eyes, his alcohol-fogged brain instantly sobered.
"Y-Your Highness! This isn't what it looks like! Please, let me explain—"
"Silence."
Leon's gaze sliced through him, cold and sharp as a blade.
The man who moments earlier had been arrogant and domineering now stumbled backward, his legs shaking as sweat poured down his face.
Leon stepped toward Eula.
"So I was right—it's you."
"W-What are you talking about?" she stammered.
"The one who lured away a pack of monsters during the beast outbreak. The one who fought with a claymore, wearing heels, and ended up severely wounded… it was you."
Eula's eyes widened in astonishment.
She hadn't told a soul. She never sought credit for what she'd done—yet somehow, Leon knew.
He raised his hand, pressing his palm lightly against her abdomen. A soft surge of magic flowed into her body, and in the next moment, all her wounds vanished as though they had never existed.
"Good. Now then," Leon said, clapping his hands once as he turned toward the trembling drunk, "it's time to pass judgment on this worm."
"Attempted assault," he declared, his voice like steel. "Punishable by death."
---
(End of Chapter)