The Black Snake on Natalya's body… I've lost contact with it.
It seems she managed to lead her unit safely out of Chernobog.
Sigh… children grow up, and eventually, they follow their own will.
Still, sentimentality is both a virtue and a curse.
Let her stay with Rhodes Island for a while—it'll temper her character.
After all, I'll soon be paying a visit to the recently awakened Doctor myself.
---
"Sasha, the leader's been gone for so long… do you think something's happened to her?"
The white-haired boy in a white uniform—marked with the insignia of Reunion—looked anxiously at the dark green-haired youth sitting nearby, who was carefully wiping down a crossbow bolt.
"I'm not sure, Ino… maybe ask Sister Alina."
"I already did, but she said she doesn't know either."
"Then we wait. Just like always. We wait for the leader to return with good news."
"…Alright."
---
In a spacious hall, Wei Yenwu sat on the couch, puffing on his pipe.
"How many times have I told you—smoking is bad for your health. At least try to cut back."
Lady Fumizuki walked up, plucked the pipe straight from his lips, and set it aside without ceremony.
"…Apologies, my dear."
"…You're thinking about little Talulah again, aren't you?"
"…No matter how I look at it, I was the one who killed her father with my own hands—and forced her mother into remarriage. In the end… her mother died of grief."
Wei Yenwu's tone faltered; his shoulders sank slightly.
His feelings toward Talulah were tangled and painful. Yet he knew one thing for certain—she was not the impostor known as the Black Snake.
If Lungmen's defenses were truly as fragile as that, the city would never have become Terra's renowned center of commerce.
To the public, Wei Yenwu was the picture of a shrewd, calculating politician.
But here at home, stripped of his titles and masks, the ruler of Lungmen revealed his most terran side.
Lady Fumizuki said nothing. She simply leaned quietly against him.
She understood the torment in his heart—the guilt that never faded, the pain of past sins.
She hadn't been a direct participant in the tragedy all those years ago, but she had witnessed it unfold.
And though the past could never be undone, she still hoped her husband could one day free himself from its shadow.
"…You didn't tell little Talulah that it was you who intentionally leaked that information to her, did you?"
Her voice was soft, almost pleading. She wished he could reconcile with his niece—however unlikely it seemed.
"…Tell her what? That the man who killed her father pitied her, and went out of his way to help?"
"But you're still her mother's brother—one of her few remaining relatives. And you had no choice back then."
"Even so, I still drove my own sister—her mother—to her death."
"…You're both too proud. Neither of you will bow your heads. Must you truly remain enemies? Isn't family sacred in Yan culture—blood thicker than water?"
"…Give me time. I'm not ready yet."
"Sigh… Fine. Take your time. At least it's a relief that Ch'en and that girl still seem to be on good terms."
---
"What?! Kashchey is here too!?"
Talulah nearly choked on her food, staring wide-eyed at Ch'en's office desk as she devoured the pork cutlet rice Ch'en had brought.
Conditions in Reunion were harsh, and Talulah despised privilege.
To her, this simple meal was a feast.
…And there goes that composed, commanding image you tried so hard to keep up, Ch'en thought dryly to herself.
The moment Talulah saw her, that cold and proud façade completely collapsed—replaced by the simple, earnest girl she used to know.
Later, Talulah was summoned to meet Wei Yenwu.
What the two of them discussed behind closed doors… no one knew.
But all Ch'en knew was this—after Talulah's visit, Wei Yenwu abruptly announced the withdrawal of Lungmen's heightened alert toward Reunion, and even began quietly supplying them with a small amount of resources.
Honestly, if Ch'en hadn't seen the surveillance footage herself, she never would've believed Talulah was capable of that expression—
that chilling, sinister smile laced with arrogance and disdain.
"Yes, I met your foster father a few days ago," Ch'en said suddenly.
"!"
Talulah froze, a flicker of panic in her eyes.
"But he wasn't very willing to talk," Ch'en continued calmly. "I couldn't get much information about you from him."
Hearing that, Talulah visibly relaxed.
Still, she couldn't help but probe carefully, her curiosity piqued.
"So… what did you think of him?"
She was dying to know how Kashchey appeared through Ch'en's eyes.
"…I only spoke with him for maybe ten minutes. Isn't it a bit unreasonable to expect a full evaluation from that?"
"True, haha…"
Talulah laughed awkwardly, scratching her cheek.
Thank goodness… Kashchey didn't spill any of my embarrassing history.
Her concern wasn't unfounded.
Once, after Kashchey had a private chat with Patriot, she could feel the man's gaze toward her change—
that unmistakable look of 'So… that's the kind of person you used to be.'
"Do you want to meet him?" Ch'en asked casually. "His situation's a bit… delicate right now. But if you bring it up to Wei Yenwu, he might agree."
"No, better not," Talulah replied quickly. "Things between us are… tense enough as it is. I'd rather not show up in front of him."
She finished the last bite of her pork cutlet rice and wiped her mouth clean.
Then, suddenly, she froze.
The Black Snake slumbering within her mind stirred—awakening from its long rest.
Her expression turned solemn as she looked to Ch'en.
"Can I… see my mother and father?"
---
That was close… far too close.
Wei Yenwu's vigilance really is impressive.
Still, I'm one step ahead.
Edward—your old friend's come to visit!
No… wait. Your daughter's come to visit you!
---
Meanwhile, in a factory somewhere in Victoria, a purple-haired Feline man wearing a plain T-shirt was overseeing the workers.
They labored in heavy, uniform protective suits, machining intricate components and materials.
Every suit bore the same emblem—a purple cat clutching a golden coin, lounging atop a stack of banknotes.
This was one of the many subsidiaries under the Cape Group.
And that casually dressed Feline was none other than the group's chairman, president, and majority shareholder—Cape Reiss.
Those damned nobles… always scheming to snatch profits without lifting a finger. Do they really think this is still the age of bloodlines and honor?
Your precious Victorian crown is being toyed with by a Sarkaz who doesn't even understand the meaning of loyalty—and yet you still think you can take what I built with my own hands?
As he walked through the factory floor, Reiss's expression remained calm, but his thoughts seethed with contempt.
Once the Duke secures Edward's corpse… I'll see every last one of you greedy Victorian aristocrats hanging from the streetlights.
His name was Cape Reiss—a self-made entrepreneur, brilliant, ambitious, and ruthless.
They called him simply—the Boss.