It was just another day in the capital of Sun Country, and amidst the bustling crowds, a young man with silver hair adjusted his glasses while navigating his way. He skillfully maneuvered through the people, making his way closer to the castle, purposefully avoiding any curious eyes by blending in with the background people.

Seeing all the people around him, some were pointing at his silver hair. Fido couldn’t help but recall that day as if it had happened yesterday—the day that altered their lives when they all suffered a brutal defeat at the hands of Kon.

During that time, Fido had been a top candidate for Organization X, sent on a mission to assassinate the princess.

A fond smile played on his lips as he reminisced about those days and the immense power that man had wielded. This memory was the driving force behind his decision, alongside many of his peers, to become an exorcist. The ordinary life simply did not suit individuals like them, especially Fido, who possessed both power and talent to spare.

Of course, despite his power and talent, Fido liked to play things low-key and not draw too much attention.

However, whenever he contemplated his strength, a hint of discomfort crossed Fido's expression. No matter how formidable he became, he couldn't shake the question of whether Kon could still take him down in a single strike.

Unlike most subjects of Organization X, Fido harbored a powerful, high-class demon within him, it wasn’t the kind of demon one could stumble upon just by walking around. Generally, he wouldn't be susceptible to being knocked out by someone who wasn't even a Warrior, but the world was full of surprises.

Closing his eyes, Fido easily tapped into the seal within him. This technique was one of the methods Organization-X had taught them to harness their demon's abilities.

He mused about the countless experiments and lives sacrificed to develop such a method.

The inner world he entered resembled a walkable expanse of water, mostly barren except for a boulder the size of a house. Shackled to it was a four-armed zombie—a formidable high-class demon. This unique type of zombie boasted heightened endurance and strength. Fido took immense pride in the fact that it had taken Kon nearly three blows to incapacitate him back then.

"Hey there, undead friend," Fido greeted the demon with a wave, eliciting a low growl in response.

While high-class demons should possess sentience and even the capacity to sleep, this particular demon seemed disinclined to do so.

Returning to reality, Fido didn't linger too long within his thoughts. Such mental exercise would blind him to the world around him.

With a sigh tinged with regret, he made his way toward the castle and settled into a small ramen shop just outside its entrance. This particular establishment held special significance as it was a place they were all tasked with guarding, given that the Queen's body double frequented it.

However, today was not one of those days. Instead, two other comrades with silver hair caught his attention. The first was a short girl, her hair neatly tied up in a ponytail. The second was a tall, slender man casually resting a spear on his shoulder.

Unable to resist the urge any longer, the tall man playfully called him out, "Alright, I can't hold back anymore, I have to ask. Why do you still insist on wearing those outdated glasses?"

Fido's expression shifted to a slight frown as he responded, "I wear them because I need to see, obviously."

Although the real reason behind his glasses was somewhat embarrassing, he had meticulously prepared various explanations for whenever someone questioned him about them.

The short girl chimed in, "That's simply not possible. With our regenerative abilities, our eyesight remains flawless. Especially yours, given your exceptional regenerative powers."

Fido held his ground, "Regeneration doesn't negate the strain that certain muscles in the eyes undergo when they deteriorate. Even with regeneration, this strain wouldn't cease."

While his friends seemed to call him out without much thought, Fido had readied an arsenal of excuses for any situation.

Setting the disagreement aside, the short girl refocused the conversation, "Regardless, our purpose here today isn't to take part in squabbles. We must stay exceptionally vigilant, just in case the castle's guests decide to try something."

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The tall man, however, seemed intent on having the last word. Fido, on the other hand, was prepared for any comment that might come his way.

'Fool, you have stepped on my trap!' Fido couldn't help but think, though he consciously restrained the triumphant smile from breaking across his face.

***

Wis suppressed a sigh, perched atop her throne. On one side of the round table sat nobles, while on the other were the clan heads of exorcist clans from within the country.

'Kon! You bastard! You promised me that I wouldn't have to deal with these menial tasks anymore!' Wis cursed her fiancé to high heaven.

Yet, despite her frustration, thoughts of Kon brought a pang of worry. The lack of news about the expedition troubled her. If something had happened to Kon, she might be the last to know. Exorcists held an advantage in gathering information.

Curiously, while on Avalon Island, their location and numbers remained hidden, immune to special abilities looking into things.

"Princess, can we proceed with the meeting?" inquired an exorcist clan head, not from the great clans.

‘Worms like him wouldn't act without assurance from a stronger power, likely someone from the great clans,' Wis analyzed discreetly.

In Kon's absence, some had tested her boundaries, but his mere existence deterred them. Delia, Kon's cousin, observed with an entertained smile. Wis wasn't surprised; Kon had warned her of his family's unreliability, and Delia's reputation as a psycho preceded her.

“I will give you a chance to take those words back,” declared Yara, standing by Wis' throne. For a clan leader telling the queen to start the meeting was rude.

However, the clan head who had spoken earlier remained silent, his eyes narrowed, no apology forthcoming.

Wis maintained her smile and smoothly interjected. “I am certain that the Patriarch of the Ter Clan didn’t mean anything by it.”

"What if I did?" challenged the man, his unkempt hair and canine-like teeth giving him an edgy air.

"Then you'd be signing your own death warrant," Yara responded, Wis' smile unwavering even as her nerves prickled.

"The Tar Clan Head might have had a touch too much to drink," the Raion Clan Head intervened, his silver hair cascading over his eyes. Despite that, his blue gaze sparkled like diamonds.

With the Kuro Clan Head away on an expedition, the Raion Clan found themselves without the balancing force that used to keep them in check. Despite lacking any Special Exorcists within their ranks, this absence of such specialists mirrored the overall situation in the Sun Kingdom.

Ordinarily, a figure like the Sun Exorcist would be present to mediate conflicts between nobles and exorcists. Unfortunately, the last Sun Exorcist had perished during the war against Shuten Doji.

The Tar Clan Head exchanged a silent glance with the Raion Clan representative. Although no words were spoken, Wis discerned the unspoken communication and grasped the underlying intention.

'They're testing me; I can't afford to show weakness,' Wis thought. In this scenario, only one of the great clans held the authority to guarantee someone's safety, a role usually taken by the Kuro Clan. However, with their leader currently absent, such assurance seemed unlikely.

Analyzing the circumstances, Wis attempted to deduce the optimal course of action. She contemplated how Kon would handle this situation. Yet, no matter how she considered it, Wis couldn't envision Kon allowing such a thing to even happen if he were here. By now he would have probably killed the guy.

This prompted her to question the motives behind this audacious act. After all, Kon's return was inevitable. Could they truly believe they could evade his retribution? Even a great clan would hesitate to challenge Kon solely to protect a member of the Ter Clan, a medium-sized Exorcist Clan at best.

It seemed improbable that the Tar Clan Head would act recklessly; clan leaders required astute judgment. Thus, the likely scenario was that something dire had happened involving Kon, granting them the temerity to act in this manner.

Considering the worst-case scenario - that Kon was gravely wounded - Wis assessed the potential implications of confronting this situation head-on. However, she faced a conundrum: to step back now would expose her vulnerability, inviting those around her to come and rip her apart.

“You know, I've been contemplating something. What is your actual use here, my loyal clan leaders?” Wis inquired, leaning forward and intertwining her fingers.

“We protect people from demons,” retorted one of the clan heads, an undertone of annoyance in their response. “Each of us in this room serves a purpose here... except a certain someone, who is a leader in name only.”

Good, someone had taken the bait. Wis smiled, rising from her seat and approaching the circular table. She placed her hands on its surface, leaning slightly. “Protect people from demons, and kill each other more than demons do. Honestly, if I had the power I would kill the lot of you.”

In response, all heads turned towards her, eyes narrowing dangerously. A fleeting rush of fear swept over Wis. These were individuals who would slit her throat without a second thought!

How in the world did Kon navigate daily dealings with such individuals? Then again, growing up with a cousin like that might have made encounters like these seem like routine walks in the park for him.

Regardless, Wis was now committed. Quietly, she activated a concealed seal on her sleeve, sending signals to certain allies.