Night settled heavily over Delhart Mansion.
Cold rain began falling softly beyond the enormous stained-glass windows while thunder echoed distantly across the conquered territory. Inside the great ruler's hall however—
The atmosphere remained far colder than the storm outside.
Rows of armored knights stood silently along the chamber walls beneath golden mana lamps while servants moved nervously through the edges of the hall carrying documents, military reports, and reconstruction records under Asheville authority.
At the center of everything—
Reina Asheville sat upon the elevated ruler's throne.
Silver hair cascading softly over black noble attire.
Calm silver eyes illuminated beneath cold golden light.
And behind her—
Kel quietly stood in silence observing everything like a shadow that never left.
The entire hall itself felt strange tonight.
Because although House Delhart had fallen—
Its mansion still breathed with the remnants of old authority.
Old pride.
Old blood.
And now—
Reina sat above all of it.
Meanwhile—
The heavy chamber doors slowly opened once more.
CLANK—
Chains echoed against marble floors.
The remaining Delhart family had arrived.
The former viscount's widow.
His eldest son.
Second son.
And youngest daughter.
All brought kneeling into the center of the hall beneath armed escort.
The atmosphere instantly sharpened.
Because everyone present understood something clearly.
This moment would decide the future of House Delhart entirely.
The eldest son glared upward immediately.
Hatred burned within his eyes despite the chains restraining his arms.
Meanwhile—
The younger daughter trembled silently beside her mother while the second son remained unusually calm compared to the others.
Reina quietly observed them all.
No emotion appeared within her face.
Then finally—
She spoke.
"Do you wish to live…"
Silence filled the hall.
"…or die?"
The question itself stunned everyone.
Direct.
Cold.
Absolute.
The eldest son immediately barked angrily:
"Even if we choose life—"
His chains rattled violently.
"…won't you just kill us anyway?!"
Several nearby knights instinctively reached toward their weapons at his tone.
Yet Reina remained perfectly calm.
"Depends."
The silver-haired matriarch leaned slightly against the ruler's chair.
"On how you answer my questions."
Silence returned.
Then—
The interrogation began.
Not torture.
Not threats.
Questions.
Precise questions.
Reina asked about the territory first.
Military structures.
Border conditions.
Supply chains.
Village taxation.
Merchant routes.
Hidden resource zones.
Noble alliances.
And slowly—
The eldest son began answering.
Reluctantly at first.
Then more openly afterward.
Because he quickly realized something terrifying.
Reina already knew most of the answers.
She only tested their honesty.
Meanwhile—
The second son also answered calmly whenever asked.
Unlike his older brother—
He seemed far more practical.
Less emotional.
More observant.
Kel quietly watched the exchange from behind Reina's throne.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"She's dismantling their resistance mentally."
Kel calmly replied internally.
"Fear weakens people."
"Being understood destroys them faster."
Meanwhile—
The questioning continued for nearly an hour.
Political connections.
Subordinate nobles.
Corrupt officers.
Bandit routes.
Internal disputes.
Delhart family finances.
Everything.
Eventually—
Reina finally stopped.
The hall became silent afterward.
The eldest son breathed heavily while the second son quietly lowered his gaze exhausted from answering continuously.
Then—
Reina slowly spoke again.
"You."
Her silver eyes shifted toward the eldest son.
"You will oversee the outer monster regions."
The eldest son visibly froze.
"The border towns require military commanders."
Another pause.
"You will take responsibility for stabilizing those territories."
Silence.
Then quietly—
Reina added:
"If you accept…"
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"…I will spare your mother and sister."
The eldest son's eyes widened violently afterward.
Because suddenly—
This wasn't about pride anymore.
It became choice.
Family or ego.
Meanwhile—
The second son immediately spoke afterward.
"And me?"
Reina's eyes shifted toward him calmly.
"You will handle bandit suppression."
Another pause.
"Outer village regulation."
"Trade route stabilization."
The younger man quietly stared at her afterward.
Because strangely—
These weren't meaningless positions.
They carried responsibility.
Authority.
Purpose.
Not execution.
Not imprisonment.
Meanwhile—
The eldest son slowly clenched his fists tightly.
Hatred still burned within him.
Yet eventually—
He lowered his head.
"…I accept."
The second son followed shortly afterward.
"…As do I."
Neither trusted Reina fully.
Neither truly accepted defeat emotionally.
But both understood reality now.
If they refused—
Their entire family could disappear tonight.
And deep inside—
They already knew Reina possessed the authority to do exactly that.
Meanwhile—
The former viscount's widow quietly trembled beside them.
She had expected execution from the beginning.
Not negotiation.
Not survival.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"She's preserving the territory structure intentionally."
Kel calmly watched Reina.
"Yes."
"Smart."
Because killing entire noble families created instability.
But controlling them—
Created obedience.
Meanwhile—
Reina slowly stood from the ruler's throne afterward.
The chamber atmosphere shifted instantly.
Then—
She walked directly toward the kneeling Delhart widow.
The older noblewoman visibly trembled slightly as Reina approached.
Yet unexpectedly—
Reina reached downward.
And removed the woman's chains personally.
The entire hall froze.
Even the Delhart brothers looked stunned.
Then—
Reina calmly helped the woman stand.
"Sit."
The widow blinked once in confusion.
Reina pointed calmly toward the ruler's chair.
"From this day forward…"
The silver-haired matriarch's voice echoed clearly through the hall.
"…you will remain the active Lady of Delhart Territory."
Absolute silence consumed the chamber.
Shock spread visibly across every face present.
Even Kel slightly narrowed his eyes.
Because this decision—
Was unexpected.
The widow herself looked completely stunned.
"M-Me…?"
Reina calmly nodded once.
"This territory already knows your face."
Another pause.
"The transition will remain stable under your administration."
The woman slowly sat upon the ruler's chair almost mechanically afterward.
Still unable to process reality fully.
Meanwhile—
The two Delhart brothers looked equally stunned.
Because despite defeat—
Their household still technically ruled.
Under Asheville oversight, yes—
But House Delhart itself had not vanished entirely.
Then—
Reina looked toward the youngest daughter.
The silver-haired girl visibly stiffened immediately.
She looked roughly Reina's age.
Perhaps slightly younger.
Nervous.
Quiet.
Terrified.
Then calmly—
Reina spoke.
"You."
The girl lowered her head immediately.
"…Y-Yes…"
Reina's silver eyes remained steady.
"You will become heir to this territory."
Silence.
Then—
Complete shock exploded across the hall.
The eldest son instantly raised his head violently.
The second son froze entirely.
Even the widow looked stunned speechless.
Because this—
Completely overturned noble succession logic itself.
The heir should have been the eldest son.
Or at least the second.
Yet both had been bypassed entirely.
And succession authority handed directly toward the youngest daughter instead.
The silver-haired girl herself looked utterly terrified now.
"I-I…?"
Reina calmly nodded once.
"Yes."
No explanation followed.
Because none was needed.
Her authority alone made it law now.
Meanwhile—
Kel quietly observed everything from behind.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly laughed.
"She chose the most controllable successor."
Kel calmly replied internally.
"And the least corrupted."
Meanwhile—
No one dared object openly.
Not the brothers.
Not the knights.
Not the retainers.
Because House Asheville ruled here now.
And Reina's words—
Were absolute.
Eventually—
The Delhart brothers slowly bowed their heads again.
Not happily.
Not willingly.
But acceptingly.
Meanwhile—
Their mother sat silently upon the ruler's chair while the youngest daughter stood beside her trembling beneath the overwhelming pressure of sudden succession.
And quietly—
The power structure of Delhart Territory completely transformed within a single night.
Not through massacre.
Not through annihilation.
But through calculated reconstruction.
A far more terrifying form of conquest.
And standing silently behind Reina's authority—
Kel quietly watched her reshape an entire noble territory with calm precision.
While deep inside his thoughts—
He realized something clearly.
The silver-haired girl he once helped restore…
Had finally begun becoming a true ruler herself.