Roza Kingsmaid, a woman of remarkable influence within the Empire, held a unique and powerful position. While the Government Council technically governed the nation, it was widely known that the true strings of power were pulled by a former king who remained hidden, his vampiric nature a secret known only to a select few.

This enigmatic figure had been incapacitated by an injury, or perhaps a burden of a different kind, confining him to a bed for nearly a decade. During this time, Roza had emerged as a prominent figure in the Empire's political landscape.

Despite lacking ties to any noble family, her deep connection and relationship with Jean, the hidden king, had smoothed her way into the Government Council.

As a council member, Roza wielded considerable authority, participating in the governance of the Empire.

However, her role went far beyond that of a typical council member. She bore the prestigious title of Kingsmaid, a position that made her not only an influential voice within the Empire but also the very embodiment of Jean's will.

In this dual capacity, Roza possessed the power to shape the destiny of the Empire. Her words carried the weight of Jean's authority, and her decisions were, in essence, the king's decisions.

It was a position of immense responsibility and influence, one that marked her as a pivotal figure in the intricate web of power that governed the Empire.

The situation had taken a sinister and confounding turn when Roza, the very person Jean trusted most in the world, seemingly succumbed to an enigmatic force.

Her actions had turned dark and treacherous, leading her to commit a grave act that left Jean in a precarious and unfamiliar position.

Roza had plunged a Unicorn's horn, a mythical and immensely rare treasure, into the former King's body. This object was known for its voracious appetite for magical energy.

It could absorb, consume, or devour vast quantities of magic without relent. However, when this horn was used against Jean, a vampire lord and thus immortal, the effect was markedly different.

Rather than killing him, the horn had rendered Jean unconscious and paralyzed his immortal body. He couldn't perish from this injury, but he was incapacitated, unable to act upon the impending catastrophe that loomed over Ravenwood.

The vampire lord, usually an unassailable figure of power, was now helpless, leaving the fate of the empire hanging in a precarious balance.

Crucially, Roza had not acted with the intention of ending Jean's existence. She had known that stabbing him with the Unicorn's horn would lead to his paralysis, not his demise.

Her motivations were shrouded in a cloak of enigma, and her actions seemed paradoxical, but in her mind, she believed she was doing this for Jean, even if it meant putting him in a state of vulnerability.

The true nature of her intentions remained a perplexing mystery, one that cast a long shadow over the fate of Ravenwood and its immortal ruler.

Having carried out their mysterious mission, Roza and her allies embarked on a journey, accompanied by a substantial force of soldiers

As Roza and her allies continued their journey, their destination became evident - Ravenwood. This region was overseen by Madam Scarlett, a member of a noble lineage, although her authority was tethered to the Empire's governance.

In Ravenwood, Roza, with her striking violet hair, found herself seated elegantly in a luxurious guest room within Susan's abode.

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Beside her stood Albert, a man whose appearance suggested he was approaching the age of sixty. However, his countenance bore the elegance and vitality of a man in his thirties, which was considered the peak of a man's life.

Albert served as Roza's guardian, and in his hand, he held a parchment of great significance. His eyes were a deep brown, and his hair, although grey, still carried an air of authority akin to that of a seasoned elder.

Seated across the table from Roza was Madam Scarlett, the owner of the house. Beside her, Susan sat on a luxurious couch.

Madam Scarlett inquired, "What has prompted the Kingsmaid to grace us with her presence in person?"

Roza replied with a soft and flowing voice, "Oh my, it's not unusual for me to pay a visit to the wife of our nation's greatest warrior," her gaze tender and her words gentle.

Susan, perceptive as ever, noticed the troubled demeanor in Roza despite her composed exterior. She leaned in and inquired, "Roza, what's troubling you?"

Roza managed a small, reassuring smile but Susan could see the worry behind it. "Oh Susan, there's nothing wrong," Roza began, her voice carrying a hint of sadness, "it's just that I didn't expect to be betrayed by someone so close to me."

"Betrayed?" Susan's eyes widened in surprise and concern.

She was about to ask who had betrayed Roza when Roza herself interjected, her voice taking on a hint of frustration. "Madam Scarlett, of course."

"What is the meaning of this?" Madam Scarlett's voice cut through the air, sharp and tinged with frustration.

She fought the urge to slam her hand on the table as she struggled to make sense of the cryptic words thrown her way.

Roza Deamour remained eerily calm, her soft voice ringing with a question that held an air of eerie certainty, "You are aware of what is happening, aren't you?"

In a soft but unwavering tone, Roza continued, "You allowed information about Master Aether's labyrinth to reach the masses, inviting the attention of other nations and putting us at risk. Furthermore, you kept the labyrinth's location hidden from the Council. If this isn't treachery, then what is it?"

"And were you not aware of Master Jean's condition? Did you not consider the immense burden this would place upon him?"

Roza's tone, for the first time, shifted from annoyance to restrained anger before returning to its usual soft and formal cadence.

"That's absurd!" Susan retorted, slamming her hand on the desk.

Roza's cold gaze remained relentless, each of her words aimed to harm the one who had burdened her beloved.

"If that's all you have to say, then you are still a child. Nonetheless, I have no discussion with council members on this matter," Madam Scarlett responded, somehow composed and calm in the face of Roza's accusations.

"I'm Roza Kingsmaid. My words are Master Jean's words, and my ears are Master Jean's ears," Roza said, taking a deep breath.

"I'm afraid, Miss Kingsmaid, I can't relay matters related to the Labyrinth to you," Madam Scarlett said bluntly, her patience wearing thin.

Madam Scarlett, well aware of the political affairs of the Empire, knew her position within the Empire, and she understood why Roza had come to Ravenwood, especially with a dozen Army forces and Butler Alphonse, renowned for his skills as both a butler and a magician.

"Then we have no choice but to punish the traitor," Roza declared, her cold violet-colored eyes gleaming with a hint of bloodlust.

"Hold on, Roza... this is absurd. What does my mother have to do with this?" Susan found it difficult to comprehend the situation and pleaded for reason.

"I don't have time for that," Roza rudely scoffed at her.

"Susan, calm down, and..." Madam Scarlett began to speak but hesitated to say more.

"But this..." Susan was distraught.

"Alphonse, read," Roza instructed the person dressed in high-ranking government officer attire, who held an enigmatic parchment folder in his arms.

"As you say, Madam," Alphonse elegantly responded to her.

Unfolding the parchment, Alphonse began to read aloud,

"With utmost sorrow and disbelief, the Empire Council has decreed the execution of traitor 'Astéri Kimber Scarlett' and her daughter 'Astéri Kimber Susan,' to be carried out by the holy hands of Council Leader of Endoxos Empire, Master Jean Cerberus VI Representative 'Roza Kingsmaid'."

As the contents of absurd decreed words echoed through the room, two guards seized Madam Scarlett by her arms, forcing her down onto her knees.

Her scarlet hair tumbled disheveled, and she maintained a surprising calmness, as though she had anticipated Roza's actions, her demeanor almost unreadable.

"Nooo!" Susan's cries filled the room, her once-pleasing countenance now clouded with sorrow.

Roza, her face a mask of unwavering resolve, gripped a talwar held by one of the executioners, poised to carry out the grim sentence.

"NO, DON'T!" A scream pierced the air, a feminine voice filled with anguish. Beyond the guards posted by the open door, an uninvited guest stood, her glittering silver hair cascading like a waterfall.

Her eyes glistened on the verge of tears, echoing the cries of Susan whom she held dear. This guest could not bear witness to such cruelty and had arrived to disrupt this banquet of injustice.

"You can't!!" cried again the silver girl, Lilian.