"How do you guys always get in? I always keep my windows locked."

Slowly walking in front of her, Leon asked casually.

Eula crossed one leg over the other, resting her chin on the back of her hand before replying.

"It's just a window."

"..."

Right. Leon almost forgot who he was talking to.

These people once hijacked the royal mage tower for an entire night, only to leave a note saying, "Nice security."

No one even knew they were there until dawn. For them, that was just a warm-up session.

Leon glanced at Eula's face and saw a slight difference this time.

Unlike before, she wore makeup. Lipstick, eyeshadow, and even an earpiece tucked behind her hair.

Leon couldn't help but feel curious.

"Are you coming from some kind of banquet?" he asked.

"Hm?" Eula's ear twitched slightly. "Yeah, I am. I was attending a wedding banquet."

'A wedding banquet, huh?' Leon thought. 'Well, that does explain her appearance.'

A vivid violet dress hugged her figure, its slit running high along her thigh, revealing smooth pale skin beneath. Her nails were painted to match, and her jewelry shimmered faintly under the lamplight. She looked nothing like an underworld gangster, more like an actual princess.

Well, she was one, technically.

Letting the useless thought fade, Leon sat down in the empty seat across from her.

His gaze didn't leave her ocean-blue eyes as he spoke.

"Have you been aware that Headmaster Raizen was meeting with the people of Authority again?"

Eula's eyes narrowed slightly before she nodded.

"We have known for a while. After the Shinra incident, the Twilight Order stayed under constant watch. We suspected they'd make their move eventually, so I assigned Asagai to keep an eye on them."

"And did you find them contacting the headmaster?"

Eula's tone shifted, calm but sharp.

"Not just contacting. They managed to recruit him again. Temporarily, at least."

"...tch."

Leon clicked his tongue.

He had expected this outcome, but the chances had been slim. If she was right, then things were getting dangerous faster than he predicted.

Leaning back on the sofa, Leon took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts.

'How far have they figured things out?'

Knowing Headmaster Raizen, Leon was sure that man wasn't an idiot.

'He must have connected a few dots by now… but they still don't have the full picture to reach Eula yet.'

Leon needed to act quickly.

If he didn't, then Eula's end would come sooner than it was supposed to.

In the game's story, it took the Authority and the nobles nearly a year to uncover the Twilight Order's identity.

One mistake changed that. A single blunder that led to their downfall, Eula's included.

After her whole team was wiped out, she became a tyrant. The very first villainess.

Once the truth came out public, history branded her as a traitor.

Even though everything she did, every sacrifice she made, was for her own people.

But now, because Leon had already altered too much, her end was closing in faster.

'No… I can't let that happen.'

He clenched his fist quietly.

'Letting her die would be a foolish choice.'

Seeing him fall silent, Eula tilted her head slightly, her eyes meeting his.

"Is that what you wanted to ask me?" she asked.

"Yeah, but there's more," Leon replied. He glanced at the clock on the wall before adding,

"Though… it might take a while. It's already close to midnight."

To his words, Eula only smiled faintly, her lips curling into a teasing smirk.

"I don't mind," she said softly. "After all, the night is pretty long."

— — —

At the same time.

Sector 33, Shinra District, Liora Kingdom

Four heavy footsteps echoed across the rooftops, following a man wearing a white Kitsune mask.

He moved swiftly, with his black coat trailing behind as he dodged every arrow fired in his direction.

The way his body twisted and shifted through the air showed how skilled he was.

Dressed in all black, with a long coat over a dark shirt and pants, a faint gold chain 'clinked—!' from his pocket with every jump he made.

He stopped for a brief second, turned, and muttered under his breath.

"[Gravitole]."

A dense aura fell over the pursuers.

The pressure hit them like a hammering wave, forcing all four to crash to the ground before they could even jump to the next roof.

Their bones cracked from the impact, and one of them hit his head against the stone, leaving a sharp crunching echo behind.

The masked man glanced once over his shoulder before disappearing across the next roof.

A few moments later, he landed in a deserted alleyway behind an abandoned shop.

His boots touched the soil lightly as he adjusted his cuffs and brushed off the dust from his sleeves.

At the corner of the alley stood an old hay carriage. They stood there tied as its driver turned to look at him.

The driver was a woman with long blue hair tied back loosely, wearing a mask similar to his, though hers was painted with blue streaks across white.

"Did someone follow you?" she asked. Her tone was calm, but her eyes were sharp.

The man shook his head. "No. I took care of them."

"Did you kill them?" she asked again.

He paused for a moment. "Probably one."

She sighed, stepping down from the carriage.

"You know the commander will be pissed if she hears that."

He didn't reply.

The woman walked to the back of the carriage and opened the door. "Get in."

He followed without a word, stepping inside the narrow cozy space before sitting down.

"Did you find anything?" she asked once she closed the door behind her.

"Yeah," the man said quietly. "Commander was right. It was really them who set up the whole thing."

"Ah, that's bad news," she muttered, folding her arms. "And what about Kurohana's prediction?"

"All true, all of them are connected," he replied. "Every connection he mentioned was there. If we aren't careful, we'll all end up dead sooner than we think."

"Ah, they really tried to outdone us this time."

The woman stayed silent for a moment. Her name was Asagao, the fifth head of the Twilight Order.

Across from her the same man sat, Ajasai, the Twilight Order's first head.

Ajasai rubbed his temples and sighed. "That kid saw everything before it even started. I knew it he was hinting at something."

Asagao smiled faintly behind her mask. "The commander really picked up a monster this time."

"When she doesn't," Ajasai said, shaking his head. "That kid's sharper than anyone I've seen. It's almost scary."

"Then let's not waste time," Asagao said. She stood up and moved back to the driver's seat.

"We need to leave before the Authority's scouts arrive. They won't be far behind."

The carriage dragged slightly as she grabbed the reins.

"Don't worry about the fight," she said, looking back, with a grin in her voice. "After all, you've got me with you tonight."

— — —

Back at the Eclipse.

"Huh, that's bothering," Eula said after hearing Leon's full report. Her brows furrowed slightly as she leaned back in her seat. "Are you sure about that?"

"Hundred percent," Leon replied without hesitation. "I'm confident this is the only conclusion that exists."

Eula rested her chin on her knuckles, deep in thought.

"And you figured all of this out without even inspecting the source?"

"There's no need to," Leon said simply. His tone carried quiet certainty.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Eula's sharp eyes stayed on him, but Leon didn't waver.

"Moving forward," he continued, "we'll have to act carefully. Especially on this particular case. If we make a wrong move, we'll end up caught in their plan."

Eula tilted her head slightly, raising one brow. "Are you suggesting we drop it?"

Leon immediately shook his head. "No. It's the opposite."

A faint smile appeared on her lips. "Then what are you suggesting, exactly?"

Leon leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His golden eyes reflected the lamplight as he spoke.

"We'll proceed exactly as planned," he said quietly. "But I'll make a few adjustments along the way."

Eula's expression softened a little.

"Hm. That sounds about right."

Leon felt a quiet relief wash over him. She didn't question much, and that made things easier.

He glanced at her.

The light caught the edge of her earring, casting a soft shimmer over her neck. She was calm, composed, and yet there was something about the way she looked at him that reminded him she wasn't easy to read.

"Then that portion is done," Leon said, leaning back against the couch. "Now for step two."

Eula's eyes followed him. "Step two?"

"Yes." Leon's voice lowered.

"It's time we find who inside the academy is feeding them information. Someone is tipping the Authority off before every major movement. That's how they're always one step ahead."

Eula crossed her arms. "You think there's a spy?"

"There's no doubt about it," Leon replied. "We'll confirm it soon. But until then, we move as if nothing has changed."

Her lips curved faintly into a smirk. "You sound like you've already got a plan."

Leon met her gaze. "I always have one."

Eula chuckled softly. "Then I'll leave the details to you, Mister Rank Two."

Few minutes passed.

Leon thought she would leave.

But she was still there, sitting comfortably on his couch.

He blinked once.

"You have anything else to say?"

"I do." Eula nodded slightly. "Let's chat over a midnight tea."

Leon froze for a moment, his brow twitching.

"…Tea?"

"Yes," she said, her tone casual but her eyes far too amused for his comfort. "You do have some, don't you?"

Leon sighed quietly, realizing resistance was pointless.

As he stood, he muttered under his breath.

'Ah… I don't like how that sounds.'

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