When we arrived at our family's restaurant, Yvon and I were greeted warmly by the staff, a contrast to the tension we'd left behind at home. Trailing closely behind were Yvon's attendant Toini and my newly appointed attendant Eugen.

This restaurant is the foundation of our family's conglomerate. We've owned it long before we were nobles, it's the first business that the Oryxes ever established.

Our grandfather, the former count of Sunglen, is currently the chairman of the conglomerate. After our grandmother passed away, he stepped down from his title and became the chairman in her stead passing the title of count to our dad knowing that he would do a good job.

Yvon and I are fond of our grandfather. In a family where we're often overlooked, our grandparents had been our anchors. When we found out that grandmother chose Yvon to inherit the restaurant, he cried himself to sleep that night feeling grateful that he had something to remember her by, a piece of her legacy.

As we entered the kitchen, Yvon immediately checked the new oven that had just been installed. His eyes looked like they had sparkles in them as he inspected it just like when he was a child and grandfather made him a wooden sword as a toy.

He busied himself with preparing a Gryphkin à l'Fraise filling the kitchen with the enticing aroma. I watched quietly as he cooked, seeing how tranquil he looked. It reminded me of the days when grandmother was teaching us how to make her famous Lumifin à la Firefruit.

Ever since she died, Yvon changed. Only those who knew him well would notice how he had become more dissembling. I think part of the reason why he had changed was because she didn't die from natural causes and he couldn't help catch the culprit because he was drugged making his testimony unreliable.

Whenever I ask him about that day he turns pale and silent so I don't press any further. I know better than anyone that he isn't the type to be quiet about things like this and that even if he doesn't tell me, I know he's already working on catching the person behind grandmother's death.

Once he was finished cooking he plated the dish and presented it to us, "And voila! Gryphkin à l'Fraise courtesy of your favorite chef."

I took a bite and my eyes widened, "You really are grandma's protégé! It tastes so good! Toini, Eugen! Have a taste!"

Tioni approached with a smile but Eugen had a disapproving look on his face.

"Is there something wrong?" Yvon asked, "You seem annoyed."

"Apologies, young master," said Eugen, "Please pay me no attention."

Yvon crossed his arms, "I can't exactly 'pay it no attention' when dissatisfaction is painted all across your face. Why don't you just do us both a favor and tell me what this is all about?"

Eugen sighed and hesitated for a bit before replying, "Please, young master, I don't want to offend you and the young miss on my first day at work but I can't exactly control my emotions either. I apologize for offending you but please, it's best if you choose not to push this topic further."

Yvon leaned in with a smirk on his lips, "Don't worry, I don't bite! It's better to be honest after all, right? Come on, Eugen."

I sighed. I know he's deliberately pushing Eugen's buttons and he's obviously enjoying this.

Eugen came from an aristocratic family in the east of Vreqiseon, he came to the capital when he was sixteen to study to become a doctor and has been sponsored by our family ever since. His family was heavily affected in the most recent war, they lost their fortune and had to start from scratch. Eugen studied harder and begged our parents to have him work while studying in order to support his family.

He was one of our dad's attendants, learning from Alfred dad's main attendant, for nearly a year before becoming Yvonne's attendant right up until her wedding. He took a month off of work to visit his family timing it with his school break and when he came back yesterday was assigned to be my attendant. Apparently, it was our dad's idea after hearing Eugen say that Yvonne wanted him to watch over her little siblings.

Still teasing the visibly agitated Eugen, Yvon continued, " Look, why don't you do us both a favor and just spit it out?"

Clicking his tongue, Eugen glared at us, "Honestly! I was politely asking you to refrain from pressing this any further! I need this job to feed my family! It's already bad enough that I have to work for one of the two ungrateful brats of Oryxes who don't appreciate the crown princess! Despite not wanting to become either of you two's attendant I'm still here because I am keeping my word to her radiance to take care of her darling siblings! I don't understand how you can harbor ill feelings for someone who loves you so much!"

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Yvon whistled and approached Eugen who was trembling in fear. He probably thought Yvon was going to reprimand him but my brother just laughed and patted his shoulder, "See, isn't it good to let that off your chest? Quite the opinion of us you have there. Tell me, how long have you been sponsored by our family for your studies again?"

Still trembling, Eugen stuttered, "F-Five years, y-young master."

Nodding, Yvon said, "That long, huh? I've heard you're one of the top students in your class. Well, keep up the good work! My little sister and I are going to need your medical expertise. Huh? Why are you shaking?"

"Probably because he was afraid you'd fire him, young master," said Tioni.

"What for? I just asked him what he was thinking about. Don't worry, you'll still be working with me and that brat over there for many years to come!"

Confused, Eugen asked, "I beg y-your pardon?"

Yvon smirked, "Why don't we go for a little walk?"

I shook my head and went to the two of them, hitting my brother's head, "I'd prefer it if you didn't call me a brat."

♡

Eugen sat across from Yvon, his heart pounding like loud drums. Realizing that he had spoken rudely to his employers he was terrified of losing not only his job and his sponsors but also his life based on what he knew about the twins.

During his time as Yvonne's attendant, she often expressed her concerns about her youngest siblings to Eugen saying that Yvon was impudent and arrogant, someone who thought that he was better than those around him and that Yvette was a spoiled little girl who would throw tantrums if things didn't go her way. Yvonne stressed that she did her best to appease them to prevent any overboard reactions. Now, faced with the intimidating aura of Yvon and the sharp gaze of Yvette, Eugen was terrified.

They brought him to a secret location. Toini pulled a lever in the kitchen, opening a hidden door that led down a dark hallway leading to where they were now, an office.

'Where am I', Eugen asked himself, 'Is this how I die?'

Then, suddenly, the door burst open and a man carrying a pile of paperwork who sounded irked stormed in.

"Tsk, these files should've been sorted yesterday! I told those rascals to finish these by sunset but as usual they didn't listen."

Noticing the other people in the room, the man paused, "Oh, it's just you chiefs. I was wondering why the others were frantic. Sigh, and here I thought a high-profile customer came by."

A tad bit irritated, Yvon replied, "I don't think that's something you say to your bosses, now is it, Nacht?"

Hearing the man's name sent a shiver down Eugen's spine, his mind forming a bad hunch.

In Vreqiseon there was a famous and elusive guild known throughout the empire called Yugen. Known for not discriminating between social classes, Yugen made a good ally as well as a dangerous enemy to have. One of its four chief of staffs was named Nacht, the "Swordsman of the Moon," a former vigilante.

Eugen trembled seeing the serious look on Nacht's face. He examined the room again, putting the pieces together.

"N-Nacht?! A-As in,Nacht of Yugen? A-Am I in Yugen?" he stuttered.

With a deadpan expression, Nacht turned to Toini and asked, "What did they drag in now?"

Eugen gathered his courage and asked, ""H-He, I mean, Mister Nacht, c-called y-you two chiefs... D-Does that mean y-you two are the leaders of Y-Yugen?!"

Toini nodded, "That's right. The young master and the young miss are the chiefs of Yugen."

Stunned but still afraid, Eugen mustered up the courage to ask, "W-What does Yugen want from me? W-Why did you bring me here?!"

Yvon leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. "What do we want from you? Well, that's easy! We want to recruit you."

'Recruit? Me? They want to recruit me?' Eugen thought.

Out loud, he stammered, "D-Did I hear you right? Y-You want to recruit me?"

"Yeah!" Yvon replied, "Do you need me to say it again? We want to recruit you!"

Yvette, who was sipping hot chocolate, added to what her twin brother was saying, "Yugen is searching for someone to become its resident doctor. Yvon said this earlier, we're in need of your medical expertise, not to mention you were raised by merchants, what you know about that trade may come in handy."

"D-Do I even have a choice here?" Eugen's voice trembled as he asked, "You revealed to me that you two are the chiefs of Yugen. Can I even live if I decline this?"

Yvon laughed, "You think we're going to kill you? What kind of people do you think we are?"

"I know exactly what kind of people you are!" Eugen shot back.

"Do you?" Toini stepped in, "Earlier, you said you 'work for one of the two ungrateful brats of Oryxes who don't appreciate the crown princess.' That statement makes it clear to me that you don't know them at all and it also shows that you don't know your precious crown princess either, Eugen."

Nacht, sensing the conversation taking a dangerous turn, tried to intervene. "Oi, Toni—"

"It's fine, Nacht," Yvon cut him off.

Toini continued, "During the most recent war against Aewratis, your hometown, the Uchus viscounty, was taken over by Aewratis and became a warzone. It devastated your home and its people. Your family was greatly affected by it. You were once aristocrats but are now starting from scratch."

Eugen clenched his fists,"What does that have to do with recruiting me?"

"What if I told you that Aewratis didn't simply take over Uchus by their overwhelming military but because an insider helped them take Uchus?" Toini said.

Shocked, Eugen shouted, "What did you just say?! You better have some evidence to back that up, Toini, because that is a bold claim to make!"

Toini threw a folder onto the table, Eugen's hands trembled as he opened it. It contained detailed evidence of an insider selling off not just Uchus, but several small territories of Vreqiseon to Aewratis during the most recent war. It outlined how this insider had seen it as a strategic decision to ensure the long-term stability of the empire, negotiating underhanded deals to concentrate resources on critical battles and avoid more devastating defeats.

The report detailed the discreet execution of the insider's plan, secret negotiations entrusted to loyal intermediaries, secret codes, and encrypted messages used to coordinate with the enemy. As Eugen read the entire report, his world shattered. The insider was none other than the future empress of Vreqiseon.

Eugen's voice was barely a whisper, shaking as he said the name of the insider, "The crown princess... Yvonne?"