Chapter XXVII: Choosing One's Own Path
Atlas - The Schnee Confrontation
Approaching the Study
Weiss and Kazuma walk through the final corridor leading to Jacques's study. The Schnee Dust Company emblem looms above the archway ahead—a snowflake design that represents generations of exploitation justified as corporate necessity. The family portrait they pass shows a version of Weiss who looks trapped, uncomfortable in formal attire with expression that suggests she's learned to hide her true feelings behind practiced composure.
Weiss: (her voice quiet as they approach the door) That portrait was taken two years before I left for Beacon. I remember Father demanding we sit for hours getting every detail perfect. Winter had already left for the military by then, which made him furious because the composition was unbalanced without her.
Kazuma: (studying the portrait with his Reaper Dragon senses detecting the unhappiness captured there) You look miserable in that image. Like you're performing a role rather than living your actual life.
Weiss: (a bitter smile crossing her features) Because I was. Every moment in this house was performance—proper heiress behavior, appropriate corporate representation, maintaining Schnee family dignity. The idea that I might want something different never occurred to Father, or if it did, he dismissed it as childish rebellion that would pass once I understood my responsibilities.
They stop outside the study door. Raised voices can be heard from within—Jacques arguing with someone whose measured tones suggest military authority attempting to maintain patience despite provocation.
Jacques: (his voice carrying through the door) I'm not talking about the good of my company; I'm talking about the good of Atlas, our entire Kingdom!
Ironwood: (his voice controlled but firm) That is a load of garbage and you know it, Jacques.
Weiss: (her eyes widening with recognition) General Ironwood is here. Father must be arguing about the Dust embargo again. He's been furious since Atlas stopped exporting to other kingdoms after Beacon fell.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon presence detecting the emotional resonance of the argument) Your father conflates his corporate interests with national security. He's convinced that what benefits the Schnee Dust Company automatically benefits Atlas, when the reality is far more complicated.
The argument continues inside, Jacques's indignation rising as Ironwood refuses to back down from whatever position he's maintaining. Weiss's hand hesitates on the doorknob, years of conditioning making her reluctant to interrupt her father even when summoned.
Kazuma: (placing his hand over hers on the doorknob) You're not interrupting as apologetic daughter seeking permission to exist in his presence, Weiss. You're entering as his equal, backed by power he can't manipulate or control. Remember that difference.
Weiss: (taking a steadying breath as her resolve strengthens) You're right. I'm done being the obedient heiress who accepts his manipulation. I came back to Atlas on my own terms, and that starts right now.
She turns the doorknob and pushes the door open, stepping inside with Kazuma beside her. The study spreads before them—all dark woods, expensive furnishings, and carefully curated displays of wealth that prioritize intimidation over comfort.
The Study - Power Dynamics Shift
Jacques Schnee sits behind his massive desk, elevated several steps above the sitting area where General Ironwood occupies a chair. The power dynamic is deliberate—Jacques positioned above his visitors, forcing them to look up when addressing him. A portrait of a younger Jacques hangs behind the desk, capturing him before gray touched his hair and business dealings hardened his expression.
Both men turn as Weiss enters, Ironwood rising respectfully while Jacques's expression cycles through calculation before settling on controlled displeasure that his daughter didn't wait to be properly announced.
Ironwood: (bowing slightly with genuine respect) Miss Schnee. My apologies—I should have been gone by now. We were just concluding our... discussion.
Weiss: (her voice steadier than she feels) It's okay, General. I'm sorry for interrupting.
Jacques: (his voice carrying paternal disappointment designed to make her feel guilty) Did you forget your manners while you were away, Weiss? Young ladies don't simply barge into their father's study during important meetings.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon aura manifesting as subtle pressure that makes the temperature in the room drop noticeably) Actually, Jacques, your daughter was responding to your summons. Unless you've changed protocols and now expect people you've asked to meet with you to wait indefinitely in hallways while you finish other business?
The temperature continues dropping as Kazuma's presence fills the study. Shadows seem to deepen in corners, and both Ironwood and Jacques react to the shift—Ironwood with recognition of supernatural power, Jacques with barely concealed nervousness he's attempting to mask as indignation.
Jacques: (his attention snapping to Kazuma with expression that suggests he's reassessing the situation) And you are?
Weiss: (stepping forward before Kazuma can respond, her voice carrying authority she didn't possess before leaving for Beacon) Father, this is Kazuma Ayakashi. Black Dragon King, trained by Shiryu the Dragon Saint of Athena, and..." she hesitates only slightly before completing the introduction with conviction, "...my partner. The mate who claimed me during Beacon's fall when Dragon Family representatives made their position regarding my autonomy crystal clear.
The silence that follows is profound. Jacques's expression cycles through shock, calculation, and barely suppressed fury as he processes his daughter's introduction. Ironwood, who was present during some of Beacon's crisis, shows recognition that suggests he's aware of Dragon Family involvement.
Ironwood: (his military bearing engaging as he offers respectful acknowledgment) Lord Ayakashi. Your family's intervention during Beacon's assault prevented catastrophic losses. Atlas owes the Dragon Families considerable gratitude for their assistance during the crisis.
Kazuma: (his voice carrying neither warmth nor hostility toward Ironwood) General. Your leadership during the assault was commendable given impossible circumstances. The kingdom you serve is fortunate to have military command willing to make difficult decisions when facing threats beyond normal parameters.
Jacques: (finding his voice, though it carries tension suggesting he's struggling to maintain control) Dragon King. I... wasn't aware Weiss had formed such... significant connections during her time at Beacon. This is rather sudden news for a father to process.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon presence creating undeniable pressure as he addresses Jacques directly) With respect, Jacques, there's nothing sudden about this development. Dragon Family representatives made our position explicitly clear during Beacon's crisis. Your daughter is under our protection, has been claimed as my mate, and is no longer subject to coercion or manipulation from family members who view her as corporate asset rather than autonomous person. If that information failed to reach you, I suggest improving your intelligence gathering.
The temperature in the study has dropped to genuinely uncomfortable levels. Frost begins forming on the windows as Kazuma's power manifests unconsciously—or perhaps entirely consciously as demonstration of capability Jacques can't dismiss as mere posturing.
Ironwood: (clearing his throat as he recognizes brewing confrontation) I should take my leave. Jacques, we'll continue our discussion at another time. Miss Schnee, Lord Ayakashi—it was good seeing you both. Please know that Atlas Academy will welcome your return when we resume sessions.
Jacques: (his voice tight with forced courtesy) Indeed. Klein can show you out.
Ironwood: (moving toward the door with one last meaningful look at Weiss) Don't worry, I know the way. Miss Schnee, you'll always have a home at Atlas Academy. Remember that.
The general departs, leaving Weiss and Kazuma alone with Jacques. The patriarch remains behind his elevated desk, attempting to maintain physical and psychological advantage despite Kazuma's presence demolishing his usual intimidation tactics.
Father and Daughter - New Terms
Jacques: (his voice carrying carefully controlled anger) So. My daughter returns from Beacon traumatized by assault, and rather than coming home to heal with her family, she arrives with... Dragon royalty claiming she's been made his mate. Do you have any idea how this looks, Weiss? What people will say about the Schnee family when they discover you've bound yourself to faunus Dragon King?
Weiss: (her voice carrying steel that surprises even herself) What people will say, Father, is that the Schnee heiress survived Beacon's fall and found allies powerful enough to protect her from threats your corporate empire couldn't address. And yes—Kazuma is faunus. That's part of who he is, not a flaw requiring apology or concealment.
Jacques's expression darkens as his daughter's defiance registers. He stands, moving around his desk to approach them—clearly attempting to use his physical presence to reassert authority he's losing.
Jacques: (his voice dropping to dangerous quiet) You forget yourself, Weiss. You forget that everything you have—your training, your education, your very name—comes from this family. From me. I allowed you to attend Beacon as indulgence, never imagining you'd return with ideas above your station and faunus Dragon King in tow making claims about protection you don't need.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon aura manifesting more overtly as shadows writhe around him) Allowed? Weiss didn't require your permission to attend combat academy, Jacques. She informed you of her decision because she retained enough respect for you to include you in her plans. That respect is wearing thin as you demonstrate that you view your daughter as property rather than person.
Jacques: (his attention snapping to Kazuma with fury barely restrained) You will not lecture me about my relationship with my daughter! You're an outsider who knows nothing about the Schnee family dynamics or the responsibilities that come with our position!
Weiss: (stepping between them, her voice rising with years of suppressed emotion finally finding expression) Stop! Both of you! Father, Kazuma isn't lecturing you—he's stating obvious truths you've refused to acknowledge for years. You don't see me as your daughter. You see me as the Schnee heiress, as corporate representative, as tool for advancing SDC interests. When was the last time you asked how I was feeling rather than how I could serve company objectives?
The question hangs in the air. Jacques's expression suggests he genuinely doesn't understand why his daughter would distinguish between her personal wellbeing and corporate utility—to him, they're synonymous.
Jacques: (his voice carrying strained patience) Weiss, you're being emotional. Understandable given your trauma, but this isn't the time for teenage dramatics. I called you here to discuss practical matters—specifically, the charity concert the SDC will be hosting in coming weeks. Many people forget you were at Beacon during the assault. We need to remind them that a Schnee was there defending another kingdom. We need to show them the Schnee family remains strong despite recent tragedies.
Weiss: (her voice cold as realization hits) You want to use my trauma as publicity opportunity. You want me to perform at your concert so people associate the Schnee name with Beacon's defense rather than the faunus exploitation and labor violations that actually define our company's practices.
Jacques: (his expression hardening) I want you to do your duty to this family. Many people would be happy to see you perform, to know you've recovered from your ordeal. Is that really so terrible?
Kazuma: (his voice carrying dark certainty) You're not asking if she'd like to sing, Jacques. You're telling her she'll perform regardless of her preferences because you've already committed to using her as propaganda tool. That's manipulation disguised as family obligation.
Jacques: (his fury finally breaking through his controlled exterior) This doesn't concern you, Dragon King! This is family matter between father and daughter! Your presence here is already inappropriate—I won't tolerate your interference in Schnee family decisions!
The study erupts with competing powers. Jacques's indignation manifests as fist slamming on his desk. Kazuma's Reaper Dragon presence creates pressure that makes breathing difficult for normal humans. And Weiss stands between them, her own determination finally crystallizing into absolute conviction.
Weiss Takes Control
Weiss: (her voice cutting through the tension with Schnee authority that comes from genuine confidence rather than inherited privilege) ENOUGH! Both of you, stop this immediately!
Both men pause, surprised by her intervention. Weiss straightens to her full height—still shorter than either of them, but carrying herself with presence that makes physical stature irrelevant.
Weiss: (addressing her father directly) Father, I will not perform at your charity concert. Not because Kazuma objects, not because I'm being rebellious, but because I refuse to let you use my trauma as corporate marketing strategy. If you want to support Beacon survivors, actually support them. Fund their recovery. Provide resources for rebuilding. Don't use their suffering to rehabilitate the Schnee Dust Company's reputation.
Jacques: (his voice dangerously quiet) You're refusing a direct request from your father? After everything this family has provided for you?
Weiss: (her voice steady despite years of conditioning telling her to back down) I'm declining to participate in exploitation disguised as charity. That's not refusal of reasonable parental request—it's establishing boundaries you should have respected years ago. And Father? I'm done pretending the SDC's practices are defensible. The labor violations, the faunus exploitation, the systematic abuse justified as corporate necessity—I won't defend those things anymore.
Jacques's expression shifts from fury to calculation. He's realizing his daughter has changed fundamentally during her time away, that his usual manipulation tactics won't work on someone who's survived actual combat and returned with allies beyond his ability to intimidate.
Jacques: (his voice dropping to cold assessment) I see. Beacon changed you more than I realized. You've forgotten your responsibilities, your duty to this family. You've let outside influences corrupt your understanding of what the Schnee name represents.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon presence radiating protective certainty) Weiss hasn't forgotten anything, Jacques. She's simply stopped pretending that family loyalty requires enabling your exploitation. She's chosen authenticity over performance, genuine values over inherited prejudices. If that threatens your corporate interests, perhaps your corporate interests deserve to be threatened.
Jacques: (turning his full attention to Kazuma, his voice carrying barely restrained hostility) You've poisoned my daughter against her own family. You've used your supernatural influence to manipulate her into rejecting everything she's been raised to value. That's not protection—that's grooming disguised as partnership!
The temperature in the study plummets to arctic levels as Kazuma's Reaper Dragon nature manifests fully. Shadows coalesce around him, and Jacques actually takes a step backward despite his attempt at maintaining authority.
Kazuma: (his voice carrying ancient power that makes the mansion's walls tremble) Choose your next words very carefully, Jacques Schnee. You're standing in your study surrounded by wealth built on faunus suffering, accusing me of manipulation while you've spent Weiss's entire life conditioning her to serve corporate interests over her own wellbeing. I've claimed Weiss as my mate because I love her—every complicated, brilliant, traumatized piece of her. You see her as asset. We are not the same.
Weiss: (her hand moving to rest on Kazuma's arm, grounding him before his power manifests more dangerously) Kazuma, don't. He's not worth it.
She turns to face her father, and her expression carries neither anger nor apology—just tired resignation mixed with newfound clarity.
Weiss: (her voice quiet but absolute) Father, I came back to Atlas on my own terms. I'm informing you as courtesy, not seeking permission. My relationship with Kazuma isn't subject to your approval. My decisions about my future aren't negotiable. And my willingness to enable SDC's exploitation has ended permanently. You can accept that I've changed, or you can treat me as enemy to be controlled. But you can't make me the obedient heiress again.
Jacques: (his voice carrying threat despite his physical intimidation failing) If you continue down this path, Weiss, there will be consequences. The Schnee family name comes with responsibilities you can't simply ignore because you've decided you disagree with our business practices. Disinheritance is always an option for children who forget their place.
Weiss: (a slight smile crossing her features—not cruel, but carrying understanding of power dynamics her father hasn't grasped) Then disinherit me, Father. See what happens when the Schnee heiress who survived Beacon's assault ends up publicly rejected by her own family while under Dragon Family protection. See how that plays with the public opinion you're so concerned about maintaining. See how Atlas Kingdom responds when Dragon Royalty makes it clear they view your treatment of your daughter as unacceptable.
The implications hang in the air. Jacques's expression suggests he's finally realizing that his usual leverage—threat of disinheritance, social ostracism, economic pressure—means nothing when his daughter has allies whose power makes his wealth look almost quaint by comparison.
Jacques: (his voice tight with barely controlled fury) Get out. Both of you. I need time to think about how to address this... situation.
Weiss: (turning to leave with dignity intact) Thank you for your time, Father. I hope eventually you'll realize that having a daughter who thinks for herself is strength, not weakness. Until then, we have nothing further to discuss.
She walks toward the door, Kazuma beside her. As they reach it, Jacques calls out one last time.
Jacques: (his voice carrying desperate attempt at reasserting control) Weiss. That charity concert is happening with or without you. And when people ask why the Schnee heiress isn't performing, what do you expect me to tell them?
Weiss: (pausing at the door without turning back) Tell them the truth, Father. Tell them I'm prioritizing my recovery over corporate publicity. Tell them I'm establishing boundaries with family that should have respected them years ago. Or make up whatever story serves your purposes—you're good at that. Either way, my answer remains no.
She exits with Kazuma, the door closing behind them with finality that suggests more than just physical departure. In the hallway, Weiss leans against the wall, her composure finally cracking as the weight of confronting her father hits her.
Aftermath - Klein's Support
Klein appears almost immediately, as though he's been waiting nearby with refreshment ready for when Weiss emerges from her ordeal.
Klein: (offering a mug with gentle understanding) Hot coffee, Miss Schnee? I always find he keeps his study dreadfully cold.
Weiss: (taking the mug with trembling hands, genuine smile breaking through her stress) Thank you, Klein. You always know exactly when I need support.
Klein: (his expression shifting as his eyes turn red and his voice becomes gruff with comic accent) You know what I think? I think it's to balance out all his hot air!
Despite everything, Weiss laughs—genuine mirth that releases some of the tension she's been carrying. Kazuma watches the interaction with interest, recognizing that Klein represents rare source of actual kindness in household otherwise defined by cold manipulation.
Weiss: (her laughter subsiding as she looks at Klein with affection) Thank you. I needed that more than you know.
Klein: (his eyes shifting to blue as his voice becomes high-pitched) Apologies for the impropriety, madam! Just trying to maintain household morale!
Another shift, and his eyes turn yellow as his voice returns to warm paternal tones.
Klein: (with genuine pride) There's my happy little snowflake. You stood up to him, Miss Weiss. Truly stood up to him in ways I've never seen before. Your sister would be proud.
Weiss: (tears forming despite her attempt at control) I couldn't have done it without..." she turns to Kazuma, "...without knowing someone had my back regardless of how Father responded. Thank you. For being there. For not letting him manipulate me back into old patterns.
Kazuma: (pulling her into embrace despite Klein's presence) Always, Weiss. That's what being mates means—facing impossible situations together rather than struggling alone against people who should support you but choose control instead.
Klein: (his eyes returning to normal as he addresses Kazuma with unexpected seriousness) Lord Ayakashi, might I have a word? Just briefly, while Miss Weiss recovers from her ordeal?
Weiss: (looking between them with confusion) Klein?
Klein: (his voice gentle) Just a moment, my dear. Why don't you take your coffee to the sitting room? I'll ensure you're not disturbed while you process this confrontation.
Weiss hesitates, then nods and departs toward the sitting room. Once she's out of earshot, Klein turns to Kazuma with expression that carries decades of watching Schnee family dysfunction.
Klein: (his voice serious despite his usually comic demeanor) I've served this family for many years, Lord Ayakashi. I've watched Miss Weiss grow from happy child into young woman crushed by her father's expectations. I've seen her struggle with impossible standards, watched her try desperately to earn love that should have been freely given. What you did in there—standing beside her, refusing to let Jacques manipulate her back into old patterns—that's the first time anyone has genuinely protected her from her own family.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon presence gentling with understanding) You care about her. You've been protecting her in small ways for years, haven't you? The only adult in this household who saw her as person rather than asset.
Klein: (his eyes flickering through colors as emotion overwhelms his usual control) She deserves better than this family has given her. Better than Jacques's manipulation, better than her mother's drinking, better than Whitley's political maneuvering. I'm glad she found you, Lord Ayakashi. I'm glad someone finally showed her that being loved doesn't require perfect performance.
Kazuma: (extending his hand to Klein) Then we're allies in ensuring Weiss never returns to patterns this family tried to force on her. You from inside this household, me from outside. Together, we make sure she has support necessary to maintain her autonomy.
Klein: (shaking his hand firmly) Agreed, my lord. Though I should warn you—Jacques won't accept this defeat easily. He'll scheme, manipulate, try to find leverage that forces Weiss back under his control. You'll need vigilance.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon certainty radiating) Let him try. I've faced threats that make Jacques Schnee's manipulation look almost quaint. He'll find that Dragon Kings don't yield to economic pressure or social intimidation. Weiss is mine, and I protect what's mine with absolute commitment.
Klein: (his eyes turning yellow as warmth returns to his voice) Then I suspect Jacques Schnee is about to learn some very difficult lessons about attempting to control people beyond his ability to manipulate. Good. It's about time someone reminded him that money and influence have limits.
Evening Reflection - Processing the Confrontation
Later that evening, Weiss and Kazuma stand on one of the mansion's balconies overlooking Atlas's cityscape. The lights spread before them like artificial stars, technology and industry creating beauty despite the coldness of their surroundings.
Weiss: (her voice quiet as she processes the day's events) I stood up to him. I actually stood up to my father and refused to back down even when he threatened disinheritance. That shouldn't feel as revolutionary as it does.
Kazuma: (his arm around her shoulders, providing warmth against Atlas's chill) It feels revolutionary because you've spent your entire life being conditioned to believe that defying your father means losing everything. Now you've proven to yourself that there are things more important than his approval or the Schnee fortune.
Weiss: (leaning against him) He's not going to let this go. You know that, right? Father doesn't accept defeat gracefully. He'll scheme, try to find ways to pressure me back into compliance. The charity concert is just the beginning—he'll create more situations where refusing him looks unreasonable or selfish.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon presence creating protective aura around them both) Then we face each situation as it comes. We establish boundaries consistently until he accepts that you've changed permanently. And Weiss? You're not alone in this. Klein supports you from inside this household. I support you from outside. Your friends from Beacon support you despite physical distance. You have people who genuinely care about your wellbeing rather than your utility.
Weiss: (tears forming as the weight of everything finally overwhelms her composure) I'm scared. Of disappointing you, of failing to maintain these boundaries I've just established, of my father finding leverage I haven't anticipated. What if I'm not strong enough to resist when he really applies pressure?
Kazuma: (turning her to face him, his hands cupping her face with gentle certainty) Then you lean on me during those moments. That's what partnership means, Weiss. You don't have to be strong enough to resist everything alone—you just have to be willing to accept support when you're struggling. I claimed you as my mate knowing you carry trauma and family complications. I'm not expecting you to be perfect. I'm expecting you to be yourself and trust that's exactly who I want beside me.
Weiss: (her voice breaking) I love you. And I'm terrified that loving you means choosing between my family and my autonomy. That Father will force me to make impossible decisions where every option results in losing something I care about.
Kazuma: (pulling her into embrace that shields her from both cold and emotional overwhelm) If your father forces you to choose between family that manipulates you and autonomy that honors who you are, the choice is already made. You choose yourself, Weiss. You choose the life you want to build over the life he's trying to force on you. And if that means temporary estrangement from family until they learn to respect your boundaries? That's consequence Jacques created, not burden you carry.
Weiss: (her voice muffled against his chest) The charity concert... part of me wants to perform despite everything. To prove I can sing without it being about corporate manipulation. To show people that Weiss Schnee exists separate from SDC propaganda. But I know that performing after refusing him would look like I capitulated to pressure.
Kazuma: (his voice thoughtful) Or you could perform on your own terms. Find different venue, different cause, different context where your singing serves purposes you actually believe in rather than rehabilitating your father's corporate reputation. Show him that refusing his specific request doesn't mean abandoning your talents—it means using them authentically.
Weiss: (pulling back to look at him with dawning realization) A separate performance. One that benefits actual Beacon survivors rather than SDC public relations. That would make Father absolutely furious while demonstrating that my refusal wasn't about being unable to perform, but about refusing to be used.
Kazuma: (his smile widening) And it would show Atlas that the Schnee heiress thinks for herself rather than simply following her father's directives. Which might have interesting political implications given General Ironwood's apparent conflicts with Jacques over policy matters.
Weiss: (her expression shifting from overwhelmed to calculating) You're suggesting I position myself as distinct from SDC interests. That I use my survival of Beacon to establish political identity separate from my father's corporate empire. That's... actually brilliant strategy.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon amusement evident) I may have spent centuries watching political maneuvering among Dragon Families. Your father's approach is transparent compared to diplomatic negotiations where single misstep could trigger conflicts spanning generations. If you want to outmaneuver Jacques Schnee, I can teach you strategies he hasn't encountered because they exist outside his frame of reference.
Weiss: (her tears drying as determination replaces despair) Then teach me. Show me how to navigate family politics without sacrificing my autonomy. Help me build life where I'm Weiss Schnee the person, not just the Schnee heiress serving corporate interests. I want to make Father regret teaching me that family loyalty means enabling his exploitation.
Kazuma: (kissing her forehead with reverent care) That's my mate. Taking trauma and family dysfunction and transforming them into motivation for building something better. Jacques Schnee thinks he's in control because he's accustomed to economic leverage working on everyone he's dealt with. He's about to discover that his daughter learned resilience at Beacon that makes his manipulation tactics ineffective.
Weiss: (her smile returning with genuine determination) Tomorrow, I start planning my own performance. Something that honors Beacon survivors without serving Father's publicity agenda. Something that establishes Weiss Schnee exists independent of SDC control. And Father can be as furious as he likes—I'm done letting his displeasure dictate my choices.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon presence pulsing with pride) That's exactly right. Build the life you want, establish boundaries that protect your autonomy, and trust that people who genuinely love you will support your choices rather than trying to control them. Your father will eventually learn this lesson or he'll lose his daughter entirely. Either way, you're choosing yourself.
As they stand together on the balcony overlooking Atlas, Weiss Schnee feels the weight of confrontation lifting. She's faced her father and maintained her boundaries. She's established that her relationship with Kazuma isn't subject to Jacques's approval. And she's begun planning ways to use her platform for authentic purposes rather than corporate propaganda.
The charity concert will happen with or without her. But Weiss Schnee will perform on her own terms, for causes she actually believes in, demonstrating that surviving Beacon taught her something Jacques never could—that autonomy matters more than inherited privilege, and love without manipulation is possible when you find people who value you for yourself rather than your utility.
Tomorrow brings new challenges. But tonight, standing beside the Reaper Dragon King who claimed her as his mate, Weiss allows herself to believe that maybe choosing yourself isn't selfish—it's the first step toward building life worth living rather than performing role assigned by people who never saw you as person in the first place.
And sometimes that choice, difficult as it is to make, creates foundation for genuine happiness rather than comfortable misery disguised as family obligation.
Atlas - Jacques's Reckoning
The Study - After Weiss Departs
Jacques Schnee stands alone in his study, the elevated position behind his desk feeling less commanding than usual. His hands grip the edge of his desk hard enough that his knuckles turn white, fury and frustration warring with growing concern about situations developing beyond his control.
The frost patterns Kazuma's presence left on the windows haven't fully melted despite the study's heating system working at full capacity. Physical evidence of power Jacques can't simply purchase or manipulate away.
Jacques: (speaking to the empty room, his voice tight with controlled anger) Dragon King. Reaper Dragon. As if titles and supernatural power somehow supersede the legitimate authority of a father over his own daughter.
He moves to his private bar, pouring whiskey with hands that tremble slightly—not from fear, never from fear, but from rage at having his authority challenged so blatantly in his own home. The liquor burns down his throat, but it does nothing to settle the uncomfortable realization settling in his gut.
His daughter has changed. Not temporarily, not as teenage rebellion that will pass with proper pressure. Fundamentally changed in ways that make his usual manipulation tactics ineffective.
Jacques: (setting down the glass with controlled force) Kazuma Ayakashi. Black Dragon King. Let's see what my intelligence network can tell me about you and your... Dragon Families.
He moves to his computer, accessing private databases that the Schnee Dust Company maintains on potential business partners, competitors, and threats. His fingers fly across the keyboard with practiced efficiency, pulling up everything his intelligence gatherers have compiled about supernatural entities operating on Remnant.
The files are surprisingly sparse. Mentions of Dragon Family intervention during Grimm surges. Reports of supernatural beings assisting kingdom defenses during critical moments. Scattered references to powers that transcend normal Huntsmen capabilities.
But nothing concrete. Nothing that would allow Jacques to leverage, manipulate, or control these entities through his usual economic and political channels.
Jacques: (his expression darkening as he reads) They don't engage with normal commerce. They don't require kingdom resources. They don't operate within political structures I can influence. What kind of organization functions completely outside established power dynamics?
Flashback - Beacon's Fall
As Jacques continues his research, memory surfaces with uncomfortable clarity. The immediate aftermath of Beacon's assault, when he'd attempted to bring Weiss home against her will, convinced that his daughter needed his protection and guidance after surviving such trauma.
The scene shifts to Beacon Academy several weeks after the assault. Temporary structures house survivors while kingdom representatives coordinate recovery efforts. Jacques Schnee arrives with private security, determined to retrieve his daughter and return her to Atlas where she belongs under proper supervision.
Jacques: (his voice carrying paternal authority as he approaches Weiss, who's assisting with recovery efforts) Weiss. Gather your belongings. We're returning to Atlas immediately. You've had quite enough adventure for one lifetime.
Weiss: (her expression shifting from surprise to anger) Father, I'm not leaving. There's work to be done here, people who need help—
Jacques: (interrupting with dismissive certainty) Which is not your responsibility. You're a Schnee, not a common laborer. Your place is in Atlas, representing our family with appropriate dignity. Not playing at being hero in ruins of failed academy.
Before Weiss can respond, temperature drops precipitously. Shadows coalesce around a figure who appears with fluid grace that makes Jacques's security team reach for weapons before thinking better of it.
Kazuma: (his Reaper Dragon presence radiating barely controlled hostility) Jacques Schnee, I presume. The father who views his daughter as corporate asset rather than autonomous person. Weiss has told me about you.
Jacques: (attempting to maintain authority despite sudden nervousness) And you are? Another academy student thinking he can interfere in family matters?
Kazuma: (his voice carrying dark amusement) I am Kazuma Ayakashi, Black Dragon King. And your daughter is not leaving with you, Jacques. She's made that decision herself, and I'm ensuring it's respected regardless of your preferences.
Jacques: (his voice hardening with indignation) You have no authority to keep my daughter from her own family! Weiss is a minor—
Weiss: (interrupting with steel in her voice) I'm eighteen, Father. Legally an adult by Atlas standards. And I'm not going anywhere with you.
Another figure emerges from nearby—an older dragon with frost-touched presence that makes Kazuma's power seem almost restrained by comparison.
Shoryu: (his Frost Dragon King authority making the air crystallize with ice) Jacques Schnee, your daughter has been claimed as mate by Dragon royalty. That places her under Dawn's Alliance protection, which supersedes your parental authority—assuming you ever had authority beyond economic coercion disguised as legitimate paternal guidance.
Jacques: (his expression cycling through confusion and calculation) Dawn's Alliance? I'm not familiar with that organization. And I don't recognize your authority to make declarations about my daughter's status.
Hon'oh: (appearing with Sea Dragon Empress presence that makes Jacques's security team unconsciously step backward) You don't recognize our authority because your frame of reference is limited to economic and political power you understand. The Dawn's Alliance has protected Remnant for millennia while you've built corporate empire on faunus exploitation. We exist on different scales, Jacques Schnee. And on our scale, your influence is meaningless.
Jacques: (attempting to regain control of conversation) This is absurd. Weiss, you can't possibly believe these... people have legitimate claim over your autonomy. Come home with me. We'll discuss this rationally once you've recovered from your trauma.
Kazuma: (moving to stand beside Weiss, his hand finding hers with possessive certainty) Weiss stays where she chooses to stay. With whom she chooses to be with. If you attempt to force her compliance through coercion or manipulation, you'll discover that Dragon Family protection isn't symbolic declaration—it's absolute commitment backed by power that makes your corporate resources look almost quaint.
Jacques: (his voice dropping to threat despite his growing nervousness) You're making enemy of the Schnee Dust Company. Of Atlas's most influential corporate entity. That's not decision made lightly, Dragon King or not.
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating patterns that suggest barely restrained lethal capability) We're making it clear that your daughter's autonomy matters more than your corporate influence. If that makes us enemies in your estimation, so be it. But Jacques? Consider carefully whether you want to establish adversarial relationship with organization that could dismantle everything you've built before you'd finished making threats.
The memory fades, but Jacques's expression suggests he's finally processing implications he dismissed as bluster at the time.
Present - The Horrifying Discovery
Jacques's hands shake slightly as he pulls up more files, diving deeper into references to the Dawn's Alliance that he'd previously dismissed as conspiracy theories or exaggerated reports from unreliable sources.
What emerges isn't comforting.
Financial records show unexplained economic shifts that benefit certain regions while devastating others—always correlated with leadership treating populations with dignity versus exploitation. Companies built on unethical practices mysteriously losing key contracts, facing regulatory scrutiny, discovering that resources they'd counted on were suddenly unavailable.
Never obvious enough to prove deliberate targeting. Always deniable as market forces or unfortunate circumstances. But the pattern becomes undeniable once Jacques starts looking for it.
Jacques: (his voice barely above whisper as realization hits) They're not just supernatural guardians. They're active participants in shaping Remnant's economic and political landscape. And they do it so subtly that no one realizes they're being manipulated until it's too late.
He pulls up a specific file—a competitor who'd been engaging in particularly egregious faunus labor violations. The company had collapsed seemingly overnight: funding dried up, key suppliers terminated contracts, regulatory investigations discovered violations that had been overlooked for years, and the CEO found himself personally bankrupt and facing criminal charges.
All within six months of Dragon Family representatives visiting their facilities and expressing "concern" about working conditions.
Jacques: (his voice strengthening with mounting horror) They didn't destroy him through direct action. They simply removed protections he'd been relying on, exposed practices he thought were hidden, and let consequences he'd been avoiding for decades catch up with him all at once. That's not brute force—that's surgical precision targeting someone's entire power base.
Another file. Another competitor. Different methods, same results. Companies that angered the Dawn's Alliance didn't face dramatic confrontations—they faced systematic dismantling of everything that allowed them to function.
And the Dawn's Alliance never left evidence proving their involvement. Just patterns visible only to someone specifically looking for them.
Consultation - Learning the Truth
Jacques activates his private communication system, reaching out to his most trusted intelligence analyst—someone who maintains connections across all four kingdoms and specializes in identifying threats before they become critical.
The analyst's face appears on screen, expression already grim suggesting they know why Jacques is calling.
Analyst: (their voice carrying professional concern) Mr. Schnee. I assume this is about your daughter's... entanglement with Dragon Family royalty. I've been compiling information since reports indicated she'd been claimed as mate by the Black Dragon King.
Jacques: (his voice tight) Tell me everything. No sanitizing for my comfort, no omitting details you think I can't handle. What exactly is the Dawn's Alliance, and what capabilities do they actually possess?
The analyst's expression suggests they've been dreading this conversation.
Analyst: (their voice carefully measured) The Dawn's Alliance is organization that predates the kingdoms, Mr. Schnee. They've been operating for millennia, protecting Remnant from threats most people don't know exist. Their stated purpose is defending humanity and faunus from darkness beyond the Grimm—though what that means specifically remains classified beyond even my clearance to discover.
Jacques: (impatiently) I don't care about their mission statement. I care about their capabilities. What can they actually do if someone... displeases them?
Analyst: (taking a breath before delivering uncomfortable truth) Everything, sir. They can do everything. Financial manipulation that makes accounts disappear without trace. Political pressure that removes leaders from power without obvious coups. Information warfare that exposes secrets thought permanently buried. And if those subtle approaches fail? Direct intervention using power that makes kingdom militaries look almost primitive by comparison.
Jacques's face pales slightly as the analyst continues.
Analyst: (pulling up documented examples) Three years ago, a Mistrali corporation was systematically enslaving faunus in their mining operations. Dawn's Alliance representatives requested they cease those practices. The corporation refused, believing their political connections would protect them. Within four months, the corporation had collapsed entirely—not through obvious sabotage, but through cascading failures that seemed almost natural until you examined the pattern.
Jacques: (his voice hoarse) What kind of failures?
Analyst: (reading from their files) Their primary investor mysteriously withdrew funding after discovering financial irregularities that had somehow gone unnoticed for years. Their mining licenses were revoked when previously overlooked safety violations suddenly came to light during routine inspections. Their CEO was arrested for embezzlement that investigation proved had been occurring for decades but only became visible when specific accounting records were anonymously provided to authorities. And their faunus workforce organized a strike that coincided with kingdom officials finally enforcing labor laws that had been systematically ignored.
Jacques: (understanding dawning in his expression) They didn't destroy the company directly. They simply removed all the protections and overlooked violations that had allowed it to function illegally. They exposed it to consequences it should have faced all along.
Analyst: (nodding grimly) Precisely. And Mr. Schnee, I need to be direct with you. The Schnee Dust Company has engaged in practices that parallel that Mistrali corporation's approach. Faunus labor exploitation, safety violations justified as cost-saving measures, political influence used to suppress regulatory oversight. If the Dawn's Alliance decided to apply similar scrutiny to SDC operations...
The analyst doesn't finish the sentence. They don't need to. Jacques's expression shows he understands exactly what they're implying.
Jacques: (his voice barely audible) They could destroy everything. Not through dramatic confrontation, just through enforcing laws and regulations that should have applied all along but that I've spent decades ensuring were overlooked. Every bribe I've paid, every regulation I've circumvented, every violation I've justified as necessary—all of it could be exposed simultaneously.
Analyst: (their voice carrying sympathy despite delivering terrible news) Yes, sir. And more than that—they could do it in ways that appear entirely legitimate. No one would believe you were being deliberately targeted. It would simply look like the SDC's unethical practices finally caught up with you. Kingdom officials would claim they were enforcing existing laws. Investors would say they were protecting their interests. Faunus workers would organize strikes that authorities couldn't suppress without admitting systematic exploitation.
Jacques: (his hands gripping his desk as the full implications hit) And I couldn't fight back without admitting that the only thing protecting the SDC from consequences has been corruption, bribery, and deliberately ignored violations. Defending myself would require acknowledging that I've been breaking laws for decades and relying on political influence to avoid accountability.
The Strategic Reassessment
Jacques stands and moves to his window, staring out over Atlas's industrial landscape. His corporate empire spreads before him—refineries, transportation networks, distribution centers. Everything he's built over decades of calculated ruthlessness.
Everything that could be dismantled in months if he made wrong move against organization that operates on timescales measured in millennia rather than quarterly earnings.
Jacques: (speaking quietly to himself) Weiss refused to perform at my charity concert. She defied my direct request in front of Dragon King who made it clear my authority over her has ended. My instinct is to apply pressure—threaten disinheritance, social ostracism, economic consequences for anyone who supports her rebellion.
He pauses, processing what he's learned.
Jacques: (his voice hardening with forced pragmatism) But if I do that, if I escalate conflict with my daughter who's now under Dawn's Alliance protection, I don't just lose Weiss. I lose everything. They'll expose every violation, every bribe, every exploitation I've justified as business necessity. They'll dismantle the SDC systematically while making it look like I simply got caught breaking laws I should have been following all along.
He turns back to the analyst still waiting on screen.
Jacques: (his voice carefully controlled) What's your recommendation? How do I navigate situation where my daughter has allied with organization that could destroy everything I've built if I anger them sufficiently?
Analyst: (their voice carrying professional assessment) You need to de-escalate, sir. Accept that your daughter's relationship with the Black Dragon King is permanent. Stop treating her as corporate asset and start treating her as autonomous person whose decisions you respect even when you disagree with them. And most importantly—start actually addressing the labor violations and ethical concerns that could be used against you if you give the Dawn's Alliance reason to scrutinize SDC operations.
Jacques: (his voice bitter) You're telling me to surrender my authority over my own daughter and reform business practices that have been profitable for decades, all because some ancient organization decided my family falls under their protection now?
Analyst: (their voice blunt) I'm telling you that fighting this battle means losing everything, sir. Your daughter, your company, your reputation, and possibly your freedom if they expose criminal activities that routine audits have somehow overlooked for years. This isn't surrender—it's strategic retreat from confrontation you cannot win.
Jacques: (silence stretching as he processes advice that goes against every instinct he possesses)
Analyst: (adding carefully) And sir? Miss Schnee survived Beacon's assault. She faced trauma that would break most people and emerged strong enough to defy you despite years of conditioning. The public sees her as hero who defended another kingdom during crisis. If you're perceived as punishing her for that survival, for choosing her own path after trauma... the court of public opinion will not be kind. Especially when Dragon Family representatives make it clear they view your treatment of her as unacceptable.
The Bitter Truth
Jacques dismisses the analyst and returns to his desk, pouring another whiskey with hands that shake with suppressed fury. The reality of his situation settles over him like suffocating weight.
He's built his power on controlling people through economic pressure and political influence. But his daughter has found allies who exist entirely outside systems he can manipulate. Allies with resources that make his wealth irrelevant and power that makes his influence seem almost quaint.
Jacques: (speaking to the empty study) I could threaten Weiss with disinheritance. Watch how quickly she returns when she realizes life without Schnee fortune isn't as appealing as Dragon King's promises. See how long her rebellion lasts when she's facing actual consequences for defying me.
But even as he says it, Jacques knows it's fantasy. Weiss doesn't need his money anymore—she has Dragon King mate whose resources likely dwarf the SDC's holdings. She doesn't need his social connections—she has allies whose influence operates on scales he can barely comprehend. And she doesn't fear his threats—she survived Beacon's fall and emerged strong enough to face him without flinching.
The charity concert had been test. Simple request that any dutiful daughter would have accepted without question. Opportunity for Weiss to demonstrate she still valued family loyalty over her new alliances.
She'd refused. Publicly. With Dragon King standing beside her making it clear her autonomy was protected by power Jacques couldn't challenge.
Jacques: (his voice dropping to barely audible whisper) I've lost her. Not temporarily, not as teenage rebellion. Permanently. She's chosen autonomy over family obligation, chosen Dragon King over corporate dynasty, chosen herself over everything I raised her to value.
His reflection stares back from the darkened window—older than he likes to admit, gray touching his temples, expression hardened by decades of ruthless business decisions. A man who built empire on exploitation and manipulation, now facing opponent who could dismantle everything with surgical precision if properly motivated.
Jacques: (his voice strengthening with forced resolve) Then I adapt. I can't control Weiss directly, but I can control how this situation is presented. I can't threaten her through economic pressure, but I can ensure the public narrative favors Schnee family dignity rather than daughter's rebellion. I can't make her perform at my charity concert, but I can host the event in ways that benefit me regardless of her participation.
He pulls up his contacts, preparing to reach out to media representatives who depend on SDC advertising revenue. If he can't control his daughter, he can at least control how their conflict is perceived.
Jacques: (as he begins drafting communications) Strategic retreat isn't surrender. It's recognizing which battles are winnable and which require different approaches. I can't fight the Dawn's Alliance directly. But I can make it politically costly for Weiss to maintain her defiance. I can ensure Atlas society views her as ungrateful daughter rather than hero establishing autonomy. I can turn public opinion into weapon that even Dragon King can't simply dismiss.
But even as he plans his propaganda campaign, Jacques can't shake the uncomfortable knowledge that organizations operating on millennial timescales probably understand public relations better than he does. That every move he makes against his daughter might be anticipated and countered before he realizes he's being outmaneuvered.
For the first time in decades, Jacques Schnee faces situation he can't simply purchase or manipulate his way through. And the realization terrifies him more than he'll ever admit—even to himself.
Final Recognition
Hours later, as dawn approaches over Atlas, Jacques remains in his study surrounded by files documenting the Dawn's Alliance's subtle influence across Remnant's political and economic landscape. Every example reinforces the same lesson: fighting them is suicide wrapped in plausible deniability.
His Scroll chimes with message from Ironwood—likely following up on their interrupted discussion about Dust embargo and Atlas's defensive posture. Jacques reads it with growing recognition that the general probably understands the Dawn's Alliance's capabilities better than most, given his position and security clearance.
Jacques: (typing careful response that avoids antagonizing someone with knowledge he lacks) James, I'd like to continue our discussion at your convenience. Recent developments have given me new perspective on Atlas's strategic position relative to... organizations operating beyond normal kingdom oversight.
It's as close as Jacques can bring himself to admitting he's been outmaneuvered by forces beyond his comprehension.
The study's frost-touched windows have finally cleared, temperature returning to normal. But Jacques knows the chill has settled permanently—not in his study, but in his understanding of where real power resides on Remnant.
His daughter is lost to him. Not through death or distance, but through her choice to claim autonomy he'd never actually granted. And fighting to reclaim control he never legitimately possessed would mean losing everything else he values.
Jacques: (his voice carrying bitter acceptance) Strategic retreat it is, then. I'll host my charity concert without Weiss. I'll maintain Schnee family dignity despite daughter's defiance. I'll continue building SDC influence through legitimate channels while very carefully avoiding practices that might attract Dawn's Alliance scrutiny.
He pauses, staring at family portrait visible through his office door—frozen moment showing Schnees as united family rather than fractured collection of individuals manipulating each other for advantage.
Jacques: (his final words carrying recognition of reality he can't change) And I'll hope that Weiss never gives her Dragon King reason to examine SDC operations too closely. Because if she does... if I anger the Dawn's Alliance enough that they decide to apply the same systematic dismantling they've used on others...
He doesn't finish the thought. He doesn't need to.
Jacques Schnee has finally encountered power he can't purchase, influence he can't manipulate, and consequences he can't simply avoid through political connections.
And for a man who built everything on controlling others through economic pressure and social influence, that recognition feels uncomfortably like mortality—the understanding that everything he's built could disappear if he miscalculates badly enough.
The sun rises over Atlas. The SDC continues its operations. And Jacques Schnee begins planning how to maintain his empire while navigating around organization that could destroy it with precision that would make his downfall look like inevitable consequence of practices that should have been stopped decades ago.
Sometimes the most terrifying opponents aren't the ones who threaten you openly. They're the ones who smile politely while holding enough power to dismantle everything you value—and who'd make it look like you'd done it to yourself.
To be continued in Chapter 28: Prelude to the Storm part 1