"Alexia, are you okay?"
"I'm... just give me a second. Leon, please shut up for now."
The silver-haired princess's mind had collapsed.
She was trying to absorb what she had just heard—and failed miserably.
Since Sinon knew Leon wasn't a fan of explanations, she took on the role of narrator of their downfall.
She revealed everything.
The Cult of Diablos.
The carefully fabricated historical farce.
The true reason behind the rise of Night Raid.
And finally… the rot eating away at the Kingdom of Midgar from beneath their feet.
It was too much.
Like throwing an ocean of raw truths into the mind of a princess raised on fairy tales.
"So… the books I read as a child were right? The demon Diablos was real, demonic possession is a curse inherited from the great heroes… and I… I'm a descendant of all of that…?"
If she hadn't lived through and seen that night with her own eyes, Alexia would never have believed it.
Even if it were Leon telling her—and she knew he never lied—it would've been impossible to accept.
Too terrifying to even consider real.
Now she understood: the world she knew was nothing more than a beautiful painting stretched over a dark abyss.
And the worst part? The paint was starting to peel.
Midgar, seemingly peaceful, was being devoured from the inside.
Cult infiltration in key positions of the kingdom. Enemy strongholds even hidden within the royal capital.
Absurd.
Ridiculous.
Completely… fucked!
"So, Leon, you came here to... dismantle this Cult of Diablos?"
"That's one way to put it, yeah."
"I see... then, on behalf of the Kingdom of Midgar, I thank you for your efforts."
Alexia took a deep breath, struck her fist to her chest with elegance, and offered the highest knightly salute of the kingdom.
"You don't need to do that. Honestly, I don't think I even deserve your gratitude."
"Eh?"
"Ignore it. Just my own thoughts."
The reality was: dismantling the cults was only part of the plan.
Leon's main goal… was to take the kingdom.
If Alexia knew that, instead of honoring him, she'd probably have already drawn her sword.
"By the way, now that you know the truth... I can't just let you walk around freely anymore."
"What?!"
Alexia froze.
"I told you before, didn't I? Once you learn too much, there's no going back. What a shame. If you'd made another choice… maybe we could've stayed classmates."
Leon's eyes, once gentle, now held the weight and authority of a king.
"You have two options."
He raised two fingers.
"First: join my organization, Night Raid."
"Second: forget everything that happened tonight."
Alexia held her breath.
Even in the face of an implicit threat, her first reaction was… surprising.
"So that's the kind of guy he is. Pretends to be cold, but deep down, he's actually kind…"
She thought she'd be killed on the spot, but instead, he gave her a choice.
A chance.
"You want me to join your organization, huh?"
"Don't make that weird face. Now that you know the truth, these are the only two paths left for you. And having someone with your status makes things a lot easier."
Leon spoke naturally, as if offering a job at a coffee shop.
And it made sense: the world of shadows was just a twisted reflection of the real world.
Having a princess as political cover... opened doors. Lots of them.
Alexia didn't think twice.
She had already made her decision.
She was the type who never turned back—and let's be honest, the idea of being part of a secret organization fighting evil was just… way too stylish to turn down.
Way better than pretending to be a prim and proper princess at the academy.
"But tell me... is there a signing bonus? Like, mission rewards, rank benefits, that kind of basic stuff?" she smiled while looking at Leon.
Her intentions were painfully easy to read.
Leon looked at her like he'd just seen a gremlin asking for paid vacation.
"Well… our members do get stronger. Even the newbies surpass a certain someone's sister in combat power."
"I'm in! Let me join right now!"
"You're way too easy to please…"
Leon watched the princess acting like an excited fan at a concert.
Her eyes sparkled—not for justice, but for the chance to finally beat up her sister.
After all, growing up in the shadow of someone so perfect left scars.
Scars that only a good duel could heal.
"Perfect. But know this—princess or not, you'll start as a regular member. None of your royal privileges apply here."
"Even better! I'm sick of being treated like some fancy ornament."
At that moment, a voice interrupted the scene.
"Master, please wait."
Sinon knelt before him.
Serious eyes. Grave tone.
"I know it's bold of me to question your decision, but I ask that you reconsider."
"I thought we were friends after that battle… Don't tell me that was all an act?"
"Don't confuse things, princess. And besides, someone here is clearly trying to take advantage of Master."
"If I weren't weaker… I'd have already taken you down and scratched your tail."
Two women.
One man.
Impending argument.
Leon cleared his throat, and both fell silent immediately.
"Sinon, I know you don't like Alexia. But that's not enough of a reason for me to turn her away."
"With all due respect, Master... she has a serious flaw. If you accept her, it could compromise the purity of Night Raid."
Leon raised an eyebrow.
Purity?
You're all girls—what purity are we even talking about here?
Alexia looked just as confused.
"Sorry, what? What flaw do I have?"
Sinon replied without hesitation, her eyes sharp as blades:
"You're not loyal enough to Master."
---
(End of chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."