...

Place: Leonandra Estate

Time: After Marisia received the letters

Kairoso was in high spirits as he strolled through the estate, greeting all his servants upon arrival.

'Time to relax ♪~' A playful smile graced his face.

With the demon run finally over, Kairoso no longer needed to be on the front lines. Now, he could spend precious time with his wife and family, hoping for a few peaceful years before the next one began.

'It ended so abruptly, though—' He mused, still somewhat perplexed, '—I hope it is not the silence before the storm.'

The demon run had been bizarre from the start—waves of demonic monsters relentlessly attacked, growing larger and more cunning with each onslaught—a typical sign for blood demons. But then, it all suddenly halted.

He even asked the Oracle, through Green, about the presence of any blood demons. Unfortunately, it was impossible to determine if that disaster was still alive, planning for an even larger attack, or dead.

Sometimes, Alpha predators felt provoked by disturbances such as demon runs that caused large commotions over a longer period. They would then hunt the disturbance down themselves.

"My Lady, please calm down!" A manly voice, usually calm and serious, was now flustered, trying to calm his wife down—it was Aro, the headbutler.

As he stood before his wife's office, eager to surprise her with his early return, he was taken aback by the commotion inside—it was as if the demon run had followed him.

"Where are Alex and Narsi?! I want to see them right now!"

Going by her tone, it was rather serious. Kairoso only hoped that the blood demon hadn't followed him and taken over his wife's mind—it would make things somewhat awkward if they wanted to have another puppy.

Jokes aside, it clearly involved their sons—likely Alexander, who was often the culprit—had incensed her, and Aro was doing his best to calm her down.

Clank

As he opened the door to her office, he saw her glaring at Aro while Salyna and Noriken stood behind him, ready to argue.

"Oh my, how strict; what has Mr. Alexander done again ~♪?" Sarusos, who stood behind him, teasingly smiled at them.

Each of them heard him immediately, turning toward the entrance, frowning. Marisia frowned, too, until she saw Kairoso, her husband, standing around and smiling.

Everyone turned toward the entrance, frowning, but Marisia's expression softened when she saw Kairoso.

His voice was warm and gentle, "How are you, my little flower?"

He opened his arms, eager to feel her warmth again. As expected, his wife marched over, grabbed his arm, and began dragging him toward the bedroom.

"Meeting adjourned! We'll reconvene at midnight!"

Kairoso smiled sheepishly as his much shorter wife pulled him along, "You know I didn't shower. Should I at least—"

She immediately cut him off, blushing, "No, I like it—" She took a slight sniff, and her face turned completely red, "—I love your scent."

...

Time: Hours Later

Place: Tea Room

Sitting on the couch, sipping tea, Kairoso felt his calm return after months of pent-up frustration had been released during some rather intense hours.

Some of those moments, particularly those involving his transformations would remain secret, as he had promised never to mention them or tease her about her adventurous tendencies.

Most importantly, they had some rare alone time before the meeting reconvened—a perfect opportunity to relax and discuss everything.

"So, what's this all about? I couldn't help but feel a little jealous when you shouted our boys' names while I was—" She shot him a sharp glare, cutting him off. After a pause, she sipped her tea and continued, "They've done something unforgivable."

He grinned, thinking it was nothing serious, "What did he do this time? Hand out 100 gold pieces to some lowly commoner?"

Kairoso was proud of his son for his magic, intellect, constant self-improvement, and more. However, there was one thing he confided only to Sarusos, who was the only one who understood him in this aspect.

Though he loved his wife dearly, with all her exceptional empathy and charm, she had been insulated by the privileges of the nobility, leaving her unable to fully grasp the struggles of the less fortunate.

His puppies were of the same breed. Lorient, Sarah, and Narsiz had never experienced the harsh reality of what it meant to fight for their survival—an unfortunate reality for many nobles.

Kairoso understood that everyone carried burdens others couldn't fully comprehend. Just as he couldn't empathize with the life of an aristocrat, they couldn't understand what it meant to live without a safety net.

So when Alexander recognized the struggles of the commoners and worked to uplift them, Kairoso couldn't have been prouder.

Kairoso supported him wherever he could, pushing the Temple to accommodate Alexander's efforts and assuring his wife it was for a good cause.

However, she saw it as a waste of their wealth, which was unsurprising given that Alexander's ideas were groundbreaking for the region.

Kairoso extended the same support to impoverished rural areas, establishing outposts to protect them from monsters and bandits.

Economically, he knew it was a waste of coin, given their meager tax contributions. But having come from such a place himself, he understood their plight.

Marisia sighed, "Let me start from the beginning. I received a letter from your colleagues, Baldur Lavafist and Noelle Pascal, with some interesting information."

He smiled sheepishly, amused by how she called them his colleagues, "Oh? How are they doing?"

Kairoso remembered the volcanic djinn from his early days as a mercenary. Baldur had been the vice leader of the Mercenary Union, which oversaw sellswords from Mal-Gil, the Eros Alliance, the Night-Elf Dwelling, and the lands of the nature-dwellers.

Noelle, from a prestigious clan, had spent over a decade raiding dungeons. She had reached silver rank, the second-highest and highly meritious, but often raided under a pseudonym since she couldn't operate freely within the First Servants' scene. She claimed to be a pure wind djinn, though in truth, she was also part water djinn.

Since then, they have joined their respective alliances, climbing in ranks. Baldur became the Grand Leader of the Eros Alliance, while Noelle was now an elder and administrator. They likely wouldn't remember Kairoso's early days as a struggling sellsword, offering his services as a meatshield.

"What about them? I remember that they were quite the eccentric folk."

Marisia noted how he recalled his past—a past she disliked, filled with too many women—but she ultimately sighed, remembering her wild time during her first mating season.

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"I see, but that's not the main issue right now—" She straightened up and shifted away from him, her tone becoming more serious, "—please listen carefully..."

Marisia started recounting their letters, including some youth, Helena Irida and Thaldun Uru, who also sent their letters, being some prodigies of the sort.

It all followed with her telling how all the incidents happened when Narsiz was visiting Dog-Pudding Island—timing-wise, it was suspicious.

As she described it to him, Kairoso saw her point, 'You all fucked up.'

Nothing she said explicitly implicated them, but it was a logical conclusion, pieced together from various sources, forming a clearer picture of what their puppies were up to—explosive gadgets, fine coordination, and an extensive supply of resources—the scent of them was all over.

They needed a detailed plan, dozens of highly motivated and loyal people, outside help from the fire-djinn girls, and motives. Considering the letters and knowing his puppies, it was clear that everyone had their reasons.

'They really thought this through, didn't they?'

The conclusion was only possible because Noelle, Baldur, Helena, and Thaldun had written letters requesting permission and support to invade a particular fire djinn island, wanting to avoid getting ambushed.

The small details and timelines they provided, combined with what they already knew, painted a complete picture.

Marisia only uncovered the truth because they were so amicable, eager to provide all the details and timelines themselves. It was primarily because of political reasons, as they wanted to maintain those diplomatic relations.

Kairoso couldn't help but respect his son, who had amassed loyal followers, formed alliances with former enemies, and successfully led the refugees out of Kratikal.

Despite his respect for his puppies, Kairoso also felt anger as his once-unfaltering wife began to break down, crying and stuttering through her words.

At that moment, she seemed like the vulnerable young woman he had fallen in love with decades ago.

"Kai... what should I do?—" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked at him, her eyes filled with hopelessness, "I... I can't control them, and they just... do this..."

They had gone too far, especially Alexander. Despite his efforts to conceal their actions, it was still a dangerous balancing act. For now, the laws would protect him, as he was still a puppy.

But time never stood still, and somebody would always be there to remember. If someone had a grudge, it could quickly escalate into something terrible once they tried to uncover any information.

"I... he... how?!—" Her face trembled in frustration, "—Kairo, he could face a trial once he is old enough!"

Desperation filled her eyes as she reached for Kairoso, begging him to offer a solution. Breaking the law as an adult, never mind if he was of noble blood, he couldn't receive the same protection as a puppy.

"Do... do you understand the consequences?" She choked on her words, starting to look down and sobbing.

Kairoso had a solution—a way to mitigate the damage, even if it still resulted in some form of punishment. It was preferable to letting the law judge Alexander.

"It's time." His voice was soft and gentle, yet unyielding.

Mairisia looked into his eyes again, hers being red and puffy,

She pushed herself away, her eyes red and puffy, "For... what?" Her voice cracking.

He gave her a reassuring smile, "Making him the heir, of course."

Marisa's eyes widened, "But—"

"Stop!—" he interrupted, knowing what she was about to say, "—He's young, yes, but there have been cases where one took the title right after their mating season or even began preparing for it at his age—"

He sighed, "—it is the only way, no? Don't we want to prevent the worst? All we do is accelerate his already-confirmed ascension—" He chuckled, his voice filled with frustration, "—not like any of our other pups would disagree, right?"

No one was protected when a law was broken, not even nobles. The Count had created such law, targeting those from central Mal-Gil who had settled in his territory, determined to hold them accountable.

However, to align somewhat with central Mal-Gil, he decreed that Lords and Ladies had certain rights tied to their responsibilities, aiming to protect his knights from undue suffering.

One of those privileges was that they could decline to sign any mana contract, forcing them to tell the truth and refuse to talk without suffering consequences.

Marisia's voice steadied, though still quivering slightly, "You want to force a Trial of Redemption?"

Just as Kairoso knew religious law inside out, the law of the land was distinct from the norms and customs they followed, like at the Temple.

For example, Alexander circumvented one of those, as he could engage Bartholomew and Nila with each other still having their territory—a law since a marriage between nobles was a contract between partners to rule together.

Customs and norms weren't written down but followed and slowly established over decades, like the Moorgrelian Knights, who only bowed to the Count and ignored the Emperor.

No such law existed, making it technically impossible to break. However, the Count established the Trial of Redemption as a moral correction for those who defied these unwritten rules.

Kairoso nodded gently, "It's an assurance, of course—" His voice softened, "—We don't know what will happen, and it's better to prepare for the worst. After all—" He sighed, "—he is who he is."

They didn't consider their other children, as they were practically Alexander's retainers and would fall under his responsibility. He could excuse them and take full responsibility if they were brought to trial.

Knowing Alexander, Kairoso wholly trusted him should it come to such a circumstance, not doubting his loyalty to their family.

"He'll end up like my mother, dam—" She coughed, still teary and sobbing.

Kairoso took her in his arms, trying to comfort her as she was still distressed, "I think it is better than the alternative."

The Trial of Redemption was used on nobles who broke norms and customs or when a crime had been committed, but the evidence wasn't sufficient for a fair conviction.

It was a way to resolve cases quickly, avoiding traditional punishments like forced labor, slavery marks, or execution. Instead, the consequences were often more creative—and sometimes more devastating.

Kairoso's mother-in-law had also faced punishment after massacring countless people during a brief peace treaty with an adversary kingdom. Though there were no witnesses, everyone knew it was her, but no one could prove it.

It was a complicated situation. Ultimately, Scarlett made a deal where she spoke the truth but was exempt from legal punishment—a privilege reserved for Moorgrelian Lords and Ladies.

However, Scarlett also accepted a Trial of Redemption with her confession. She was required to enter the Chamber of Souls, where she would confront her faults.

When she emerged, she reeked of blood and madness, having fought her inner demons and the souls that cursed her in their final moments.

Scarlett needed a decade to recover, plagued by nightmares and hallucinations that left her mind fragile. When she finally recovered, she was less aggressive but more thoughtful and vicious.

It was done to show the other party to the treaty that they took it seriously and did not want to ignore any breaches.

Marisia breathed much shallower, still in deep thought, still trying to find a way to avoid any consequences, "We could quickly cut them—"

Kairoso interrupted her, "You know this is now impossible with all the parties involved."

They couldn't intervene—this escalated into an international conflict involving allies and enemies. If she tried to eliminate the rogue invaders and restore the situation, it would only draw unwanted attention, giving their enemies leverage to blackmail them.

Like with Scarlett, everyone had little to no evidence or information other than themselves. The most important thing was to use this moment to prepare for the worst.

Even if they suspected him, making him the heir would allow him to face the Trial of Redemption, avoiding decade-long investigations that might uncover a single piece of incriminating evidence.

What their children had done was beyond correction with any punishment—it was simply too much. Kairoso gently caressed his wife, seeing the strain of the past months, if not years, weighing heavily on her.

Kairoso's soothing voice and calming presence slowly eased her distress. He knew only one course of action left—one that could protect Alexander if the worst came to pass, and now she also knew this.

"Do you think you can let go?"

His wife was controlling, much like her Mother—a comparison he never dared to say. While Marisia tried to protect her puppies, Scarlett had forced them into one Outer Circlish situation after another, shaping them into what she desired.

She fell silent, searching for flaws in his plan—a typical attempt to maintain control. But he could easily dismiss them.

"But how is that even possible? He has no military merits."

One typically needed military merits to become an heir, but age was less important.

Merlin became a bronze-rank adventurer at the age of eleven. Fenrir earned the nickname Broken Fist at the age of thirteen after slaughtering one human army after the other. Recently, a dragon-kin boy from Merlin's household had begun raiding dungeons at just seven years old, already achieving the iron rank.

All of these accomplishments counted as merits, though their value varied greatly. Becoming a ranked adventurer was far less prestigious than, for example, Marisia's feat of killing a noble youth and his retainers while conquering an island and freeing their kin.

Moorgrelian nobles were typically highly trained and educated. Lorient, for example, didn't join the frontlines until she was 18—still young by their standards but considered old by many other noble houses from central Mal-Gil.

Kairoso knew his wife too well. As she began to panic, he became stern, realizing it was up to him to make the decision.

"Call all our pups here—" he sighed, feeling overwhelmed even though he had been home less than a day.

Marisia's face twisted as she tried to argue, but deep down, she knew he was right, "I... maybe we can change..."

"If a man is pursuing responsibility, it's an honorable goal, and we shouldn't stop him. But before that, he must understand what it truly means to be a leader and the harsh reality of war—"

Kairoso gently caressed her head, seeing that she was overwhelmed by all the madness that had happened while he was gone. It was a sad reality, but he would take some of the weight off her shoulders now that he was back.

"You can still teach him and the others, but making him the heir is the right choice. This way, he can avoid those trials if the worst happens and—"

He stopped himself as he felt frustrated, only to continue with a tinge of unhappiness in his voice, "—He at least is an ambitious boy, and maybe after he learns of the battlefield, he will calm down."

The room fell silent as she clenched her hands, mumbling to herself as she tried to analyze the situation. She looked into his eyes after what felt like an eternity and nodded.

"I will call them all back and announce it—" However, her eyes suddenly became slightly vengeful, "—like you said, he should learn the gruesome reality of a battlefield and I don't want you to intervene."

Kairoso knew this glare. However, he wasn't against what she was about to do, "Of course, my little flower."