Rain fell softly outside the Asheville Estate.
Cold droplets slid down enormous crystal windows while distant thunder echoed faintly across the western skies beyond Citadel's outskirts. The war itself had ended quickly, yet its consequences still lingered heavily throughout House Asheville's atmosphere.
Delhart Territory had fallen.
Its ruler died.
Its military absorbed.
Its administration reconstructed beneath Reina Asheville's authority.
And now—
The silver-haired matriarch had returned home.
Before leaving Delhart Territory entirely, Reina personally assigned several trusted Asheville administrators and military overseers throughout the conquered lands to stabilize governance, monitor noble factions, restore economic flow, and suppress remaining resistance quietly before it could grow dangerous.
Every action precise.
Every placement calculated.
And surprisingly—
Kel had barely spoken during the entire process.
He simply observed silently beside her.
Like a shadow watching another shadow grow larger.
Now—
Night settled deeply over the Asheville Estate.
Inside the enormous dining hall, warm golden mana lamps illuminated the long noble table softly while servants quietly moved back and forth placing dishes before the two rulers seated opposite one another.
Yet despite the elegant dinner—
Silence dominated the room.
Heavy silence.
The kind born not from discomfort—
But exhaustion.
Reina quietly ate while silver hair rested gently over one shoulder beneath the warm candlelight. Meanwhile Kel remained calm as always, though strangely quieter than usual tonight.
Even Sairen noticed.
Inside his mind—
She softly muttered:
"You've barely spoken since the battle ended."
Kel calmly cut through a piece of meat.
"She handled things herself."
"And that bothers you?"
Kel remained silent briefly.
"…No."
Sairen softly laughed.
"You're realizing she doesn't need your protection constantly anymore."
Kel ignored her afterward.
Meanwhile—
The dinner continued quietly.
Eventually—
The servants finally finished placing the last dishes before respectfully bowing and leaving the dining hall entirely.
CLACK—
The enormous chamber doors closed slowly.
And suddenly—
Only Kel and Reina remained.
Rain continued echoing softly outside.
The mana lamps flickered warmly.
Silence lingered.
Then finally—
Reina slowly turned her gaze toward Kel.
"…Why are you so quiet?"
Her voice sounded soft beneath the empty hall atmosphere.
Kel slightly lifted his eyes toward her afterward.
Reina continued calmly:
"Don't you have anything to say to me?"
The silver-haired matriarch quietly observed him beneath the golden light while distant thunder rolled softly beyond the estate walls.
Kel remained silent briefly.
Then eventually—
He answered calmly.
"You did well."
Another pause.
"You handled everything without needing my guidance."
His dark eyes rested steadily upon her now.
"And your decisions were correct."
Reina quietly listened.
Then Kel slowly leaned slightly back against his chair.
"But…"
Another pause.
"If you don't mind…"
The candlelight reflected softly within his eyes.
"…tell me why you made those decisions regarding the Delhart family."
Silence followed briefly afterward.
Then slowly—
A faint smile appeared across Reina's face.
Not arrogant.
Not prideful.
Simply satisfied.
Because she understood what this meant.
Kel wasn't questioning her authority.
He was evaluating her thought process.
Testing how she ruled.
The silver-haired matriarch slowly placed down her utensils afterward.
Then calmly—
She began explaining.
"I questioned them first to evaluate their knowledge."
Another pause.
"Not merely to intimidate them."
Kel quietly listened.
Meanwhile—
Reina continued calmly:
"The eldest son possesses extensive territorial understanding."
"Military structures."
"Resource flow."
"Noble relationships."
Another faint pause.
"If I killed him…"
Her silver eyes narrowed slightly.
"…I would lose a valuable resource unnecessarily."
Rain continued falling softly beyond the windows.
"But if I simply released him…"
Another pause.
"…he would eventually gather followers inside the capital and rebel."
Kel silently observed her.
Meanwhile—
Reina calmly continued:
"So I assigned him to the outer monster borders."
The golden mana lamps flickered softly around the dining hall.
"He'll remain constantly occupied surviving."
Another pause.
"He won't have time to organize revenge while fighting for his own life."
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"She really is learning."
Kel remained silent.
Meanwhile—
Reina shifted slightly before continuing:
"As for the second son…"
A faint coldness entered her eyes.
"He's opportunistic."
"Cunning."
Another pause.
"Killing him would provide little benefit."
The rain outside intensified slightly.
"But leaving him completely free would increase Delhart resentment unnecessarily."
So instead—
"I placed him over bandit suppression and trade route monitoring."
Kel slightly narrowed his eyes.
Reina calmly explained further:
"He'll also remain busy protecting himself."
"And ambitious people…"
A faint smile appeared.
"…become easier to predict when constantly chasing survival and personal advancement."
Kel quietly watched her afterward.
Then softly—
"And their mother?"
Reina calmly folded her hands together atop the table.
"She appears ordinary."
Another pause.
"But noblewomen are never ordinary."
Inside his mind—
Sairen laughed softly.
"That line sounded frighteningly experienced."
Kel silently agreed internally.
Meanwhile—
Reina continued:
"If I left her powerless…"
"She would eventually remarry another noble seeking protection and influence."
The silver-haired matriarch's gaze remained calm.
"And women born into noble society crave authority more deeply than most men realize."
Another pause.
"So instead…"
"…I fed her what she desired."
Kel's eyes reflected faint amusement now.
"Power."
Reina nodded.
"I made her active ruler of Delhart Territory."
Another pause followed.
"That way…"
"She protects my authority willingly because her current position depends entirely upon Asheville support."
The dining hall fell quiet again briefly afterward.
Then finally—
Kel softly asked:
"And the daughter?"
The silver-haired matriarch slowly exhaled.
"She never spoke."
Another pause.
"Not once."
The rain echoed gently around the estate.
"Either she's extremely intelligent…"
"…or naturally timid."
Another faint smile appeared.
"Both possibilities benefit me."
Kel remained silent.
Meanwhile—
Reina calmly explained further:
"Making her heir solves multiple future issues simultaneously."
Another pause.
"If she eventually inherits Delhart Territory…"
"…then whoever marries her becomes future viscount."
The implications settled heavily afterward.
Kel quietly observed her.
Reina continued calmly:
"So later…"
"I only need control over that future husband."
Another pause.
"Or…"
Her silver eyes reflected faint calculation now.
"…I can simply marry her to one of my loyal knights or subordinate nobles."
Silence filled the hall afterward.
"Either way…"
"She becomes controllable authority."
Another faint pause.
"And if someday she proves genuinely loyal to me…"
Reina slowly leaned slightly back afterward.
"…then perhaps I'll grant her true autonomy."
The dining hall remained completely silent afterward except for the distant rainfall.
Then finally—
Kel softly spoke.
"Everything you said is correct."
Reina quietly watched him afterward.
But then—
Kel calmly added:
"However…"
The atmosphere sharpened slightly.
"The eldest son possesses great knowledge."
Another pause.
"What if he uses that knowledge to gain power while fighting monsters?"
Reina immediately answered calmly.
"I expected that possibility."
Another pause.
"I already assigned my own knights to monitor him constantly."
Kel's eyes narrowed slightly further.
"And the second son?"
"What if he allies with bandits instead?"
"Or destabilizes trade routes intentionally?"
The silver-haired matriarch didn't hesitate.
"My knights monitor him too."
Another pause.
"If either steps beyond their authority…"
A faint dangerous coldness entered her expression.
"…my people will act immediately."
Kel quietly observed her afterward.
Reina calmly continued:
"Not execution."
Another pause.
"But severe enough punishment to remind them who rules now."
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"She's becoming terrifying."
Kel slowly looked toward Reina sitting beneath the golden candlelight.
Then quietly—
A faint smile appeared.
Not mocking.
Not amused.
Proud.
Because the silver-haired woman before him no longer resembled the broken noble girl cast aside by her own family long ago.
Now—
She truly looked like someone capable of ruling beside monsters without being consumed by them