Chapter 197

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Chapter 197. Reunion

Three ‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍days had passed. The morning in Nortaris was as bright as any other.

NovelFire reader preview #751f6df0586d (issued 2026-07-20).

Jurgen took a sip of his steaming coffee and unfolded the newspaper. There was still a faint wrongness in his left hand, but the prosthetic arm Serena had made for him was growing familiar with astonishing speed.

[Royal Guard Strikes End Order Headquarters Hidden in the North!]

[Devastating Blow Dealt with Assistance of Rosemore Count Family—Order Leadership Presumed Dead… Kingdom's Peace Preserved]

The front-page story was resplendent.

A heroic tale of the Royal Intelligence Bureau obtaining intelligence, and an elite special forces unit conducting an overnight operation to cut out the very heart of the Order. Of course, the fact that those special forces were the Secret Burial Unit was written nowhere.

"This is pure fiction."

Serena, drinking milk across the table, said flatly.

"Exactly! And the Rosemore family's assistance, of all things…… they were the villains!"

Brigitte, chewing on toast beside her, shook her head with equal disbelief.

For the two of them, having been told what had actually happened that day, it was impossible to swallow. Serena in particular felt something close to fear.

An event of this magnitude had been completely distorted before being delivered to the public, had it not? Save for the people in this room and a handful of others, everyone would go on living convinced that what was printed in the newspaper was the unquestionable truth.

One only had to look at the fact that Rupert Rosemore was being given a state funeral to understand that.

"Jurgen."

"What is it?"

"Are there many other cases like this?"

"Not a small number."

Serena had now become someone who could never trust, for the rest of her life, what was true and what was false.

"Give me an example……?"

"Classified, naturally. Miss Serena."

"Aww……."

A noisy morning. Penelope turned her teacup silently in her hands without a word. Her gaze was not on the newspaper but on Jurgen's left arm.

"Penelope, I told you not to mind it."

Jurgen, noticing her gaze, folded the newspaper with one hand and spoke.

"How could I not mind it? It looks painful."

"The prosthetic Miss Serena made for me is quite serviceable."

"I should have been the one to get hurt instead."

"……Penelope."

"I'm sorry, Jurgen."

As the ground hardens after rain. Two people who had weathered yet another crisis together.

Now, simply meeting each other's eyes was enough to make sweetness drip from the air.

Serena wore a face that said 'there they go again……' and deliberated whether to vacate the room. Brigitte was murmuring 'oh…… ohhhh……' with wide, curious eyes.

"Ahem."

"Hmm hmm, what are you looking at? Having a good stare?"

Jurgen and Penelope clearing their throats at the pair's reactions.

Jurgen averted his gaze and looked out the window.

Peace flowed through the streets. But this peace was not obtained for free.

These past three days, a great many things had happened.

Jurgen set down his coffee cup and let his thoughts drift back.

***

The situation immediately after the Sanctuary collapsed was, in the most literal sense, on a knife's edge.

The End Order's vast Sanctuary, discovered within the territory of the Rosemore Count Family. And furthermore, the fact that its ringleader was none other than the family's eldest son, Rupert Rosemore.

The moment this came to light, the destruction of the Rosemore family was as good as sealed. The family would be dissolved entirely, and charges of treason—warranting the extermination of all nine familial relations—would be applied.

Naturally, the Rosemore side would resist to survive, so the country being engulfed in the flames of civil war was all but certain.

Nor was it an incident small enough in scale to be buried. The royal family's military airships would already have captured the remains of the Sanctuary, sunken like a sinkhole.

That was not what Jurgen wanted. Not just because of the civil war itself—above all, for Penelope's sake.

And so, the moment he rose from his hospital bed, Jurgen made the first move.

He met with the current Minister of Internal Affairs, Lily Fontaine.

The location was a Safe House on the outskirts of Nortaris.

"It has been a while, Hanbin."

Lily received Jurgen with eyes of complex, unreadable emotion.

"Not particularly surprised, I see. Did you anticipate it?"

"About 98%."

"Practically a certainty, then."

Lily was not freshly surprised by the fact that Jurgen had been co-representative of Y&P Trading Company, nor that he had achieved the feat of uprooting the End Order in the midst of it all. Because the 'Hanbin Ainsworth' she knew was more than capable of doing all that and more.

"……."

Only, Lily's gaze lingered in the vicinity of Jurgen's left arm. An empty sleeve fluttering in the wind.

She furrowed her brow, then let out a short sigh.

"You should have just been resting in peace. You had retired, after all."

"I rested perfectly well. Despite appearances, I was taking a good long rest—this was just a brief stroll to the market."

At Jurgen's nonchalant joke, Lily smiled a bitter smile.

A reunion after three years. Just as the atmosphere seemed to soften slightly. Jurgen quietly slid a document envelope across the table.

"Hanbin, I apologise. But there will be no negotiations."

Lily drew a firm line without even glancing at the documents.

"Without looking at the contents? Come now, at least take a look."

Lily was as good as Hanbin's star pupil. Which meant her instincts were nothing short of extraordinary.

"Her Majesty's will is firm. Rosemore has crossed the line. This matter is clear-cut treason. The family must be dissolved and all those involved executed by beheading."

It was a natural response—Lily had always held principle and rule above all else.

And for a queen seeking to strengthen royal authority, no better opportunity could exist to legally cut down the Overlord of the North, who had long been a thorn in her side.

"Civil war will break out."

Lily answered immediately.

"A necessary war."

Jurgen shook his head.

"You underestimate the North too greatly. The Private Soldiers under Rosemore's control alone number thirty thousand. Furthermore, the Northern nobles have a tendency to band tightly together. If an army marches in, do you think they would stand idle?"

"The justification lies with the royal family. There will be no one who wishes to board a sinking ship."

"If civil war erupts, the Northern economy will grind to a halt. Demon Realm development, logistics—all of it."

"If the sword is sheathed out of fear of immediate loss, no one will ever again fear the royal family's law."

Lily answering without yielding an inch.

But she would know as well. That all-out war would place an enormous burden on the royal family too, and could cause all of Britannia to reel.

In terms of logic, they were at an impasse. And so Jurgen played the most underhanded, yet most certain, card he had.

"And this matter—it would have been impossible without me. That much can't be denied, can it?"

Jurgen gave his empty sleeve a light tap. A silent application of pressure.

Would she ignore the sacrifice and the contributions of the predecessor who had given an arm to catch the monster?

"……You're shameless."

Lily's firm gaze crumpled. As though looking at a wound of her own, she bit down on her lip and averted her eyes.

In the end, she let out a sigh and picked up the documents Jurgen had offered.

A silence in which only the sound of turning pages hung in the air. Lily's eyes, which had been scanning down the lines of text, went round.

"Are you serious?"

"Entirely."

"That Rupert Rosemore was not the Order's ringleader, but a victim who was played by the Order? You truly intend to push forward with this?"

This was Jurgen's choice.

The dead speak no words.

If Rupert were framed not as a demon but as a victim, the Rosemore family's honour would at least be preserved. If the family's continued existence was guaranteed, the justification and reason to desperately resist the royal family would vanish.

"In exchange for allowing the family its honour, the royal family would secure concrete and tangible benefits."

Jurgen counted on his fingers.

"Rosemore's relinquishment of its exclusive stake in Demon Realm development, the royal family's right to intervene in the next succession of the family head, and the reduction of an excessively bloated Private Soldiers organisation."

"……."

"If a pardon is granted, Rosemore will have no grounds to resist the royal family. It is an opportunity to seize the North without shedding a single drop of blood."

Lily fell silent for a moment. She was most likely weighing the scales.

Presently, the corner of Lily's mouth shifted slightly upward.

"You have changed a great deal."

"Three years is a long time. It seems I've become quite the merchant myself by now."

Jurgen inwardly swallowed a sigh of relief. Because in truth, he knew it was half-coercion.

The Queen would likely take a harder line.

The Queen would need to be persuaded, the fine details would need to be coordinated with Rosemore, and the backlash from nobles who knew the truth would need to be quietened. By his estimation, at least a month of Overtime without going home was on the horizon.

"……."

Lily tapped the documents into order, pat pat, and tucked them carefully into her breast pocket.

"Understood. I will do my best to convey this to Her Majesty."

"Thank you. I owe you a debt."

"However, I cannot give you a definitive answer."

"Of course."

But Lily's strength alone might not be sufficient.

She was capable, and was solidifying her standing within the court on the strength of her outstanding results—but compared to her predecessor, her track record was still lacking.

"I will lend my help as well."

"I beg your pardon?"

And so the decision was made.

"Is my office still as it was?"

The time had come to end this long holiday.

***

When the morning meal they all shared together was over.

A languid afternoon descended.

Brigitte and Serena cleared the room for Penelope's sake. Only Jurgen remained by her side.

Penelope stood at the window, looking down at a black sedan pulling through the front gate. A vehicle bearing the Rosemore family crest.

She did not need to see who was inside to know. It was Clarisse.

"……."

A complex tangle of emotion sank into her.

She had come to know that Rupert was in truth a demon who toyed even with his own flesh and blood as though they were playthings. And that Clarisse, to protect Penelope from the reach of that demon, had willingly cast herself as the villain.

Even so, years of bitter, weathered feeling did not resolve themselves in a single moment.

They had lived for far too long as something less than strangers.

Resentment came before gratitude; pity before resentment. She could not know what expression to wear, nor what words to say.

"Are you nervous?"

Just then, a warm presence wrapped around her shoulder. It was Jurgen. With his remaining right hand, he held Penelope's shoulder firmly.

"Just…… complicated."

"There's no need to force yourself to forgive."

"But……."

"Do whatever you wish. Whether that means getting angry, or holding her close."

"……."

"I'll be right here."

Those words quieted a heart that had been tossing like a ship in a storm.

"Thank you, as always, Jurgen."

Penelope drew in a long, deep breath.

—Creak.

The sound of a door opening reached her. A woman in black mourning dress stepped out of the car. Clarisse, walking alone toward the mansion's entrance without a single attendant.

Penelope descended to the Reception Room and waited.

The sound of heels echoing down the corridor drew steadily closer.

And then.

—Click.

The door of the Reception Room opened. A familiar, yet unfamiliar, face revealed itself.

"……You came?"

"Yes."

It was the reunion of two sisters, arrived at by the longest of roads.

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