The convoy vehicle of the Alasia Group glided away from the police station at a deliberately unhurried pace.

Leaving behind an atmosphere thick with tension and a trail of hushed, speculative whispers from the circles of elite fathers and from Yura's entourage, who had yet to cease discussing the enigmatic pair—Al and Ai.

The vehicle in question was the Al-Tech Genesis Hybrid—Royal Signature Edition.

A specially-commissioned model produced exclusively for the Alasia Group by Arial Auto company, a Middle-Eastern luxury engineering corporation bound to Alasia through an exclusive partnership.

Or, more precisely stated—manufactured specifically and singularly for Ai.

It was a vehicle that seemed appropriate only for royalty, for upper-echelon corporate magnates, or for guests who possessed the rare privilege of being permitted entry into it.

This Genesis was designed not as a car, but as a mobile living chamber crafted for the highest stratum of society.

Inside the auto-sealing doors, the interior radiated an almost untouchable level of refinement.

The expansive cabin was illuminated by nanoreactive ambient lighting, a system capable of subtly shifting its luminance according to the emotional tone of the passengers.

Its walls were clad in a fusion of ultra-grade specialty leather and organic carbon-fiber composites—the very kind typically utilized in high-stealth military aircraft.

The seating configuration had been tailored specifically for Al and Ai.

Premium seats curved into an L-shape, sculpted with minimalist linework, upholstered in hybrid Heirloom-White leather, and embossed with the Alasia Group insignia.

At the center hovered a static levitation table—a black matte surface suspended exactly two centimeters above the floor via proprietary technology, giving the uncanny impression of a private-jet conference desk floating in midair.

To one side of the cabin, a panel of obsidian wood slid open automatically, unveiling the Royal Reserve mini-bar, containing only beverages with special royal licensing; each bottle bore a holographic seal certifying its authenticity.

Al sat with Ai in the VIP compartment—an intentionally compact but hyper-optimized private section with its own access control, designed for only two occupants.

With every micro-detail, from headrest curvature to micro-temperature regulation, refined to the standard of absolute comfort.

Meanwhile, Sebastian, Reina, and Hans occupied the more spacious lounge-like area, a space comparable to the executive deck of a high-sky cruiser.

Should an individual of insufficient status ever find themselves within this vehicle, they might momentarily forget they were aboard wheels at all—mistaking it instead for a miniature moving palace chamber.

The vehicle had long departed the tension-laden police building.

Yet, inexplicably, that same tension still lingered faintly within the luxurious cabin.

Hans seemed unsure of what to make of it, Reina appeared as though she understood something but refrained from speaking first, while Sebastian simply offered a faint, knowing smile.

All three directed their attention toward Ai. Her gaze—keen and unwavering—was fixed upon Al.

She said nothing, but her eyes conveyed a heavy restlessness, as though she was burdened by things she wished to express but could not bring herself to say.

Al noticed it too, and after a prolonged silence, he exhaled deeply.

"Huff… you don't have to look at me like that, Ai," he muttered awkwardly.

Those words broke the ice—at least enough to loosen the tension inside the cabin.

Hans and Reina let out quiet sighs of relief. Sebastian merely observed while simultaneously processing a message transmitted directly to his mind through his glyph.

"Master…" Ai spoke softly, her tone gentle yet subtly piercing. "It appears there are several matters you need to explain."

Al glanced at her with mild discomfort. Ai rarely ever slipped out of her usual demeanor, but now—although still holding herself back—her tone carried a sharp, demanding edge.

He immediately understood what she was referring to. It likely had to do with the five girls.

Though he still wondered why Ai was reacting this strongly when she didn't even know the full details yet.

"Ah… right," Al said, still awkward.

"Which do you want to hear first—the cannibal incident, or the girls?" he asked.

Ai continued staring at him sharply, remaining silent for a moment before exhaling and turning her face away.

"The girls first," she said curtly. A faint blush colored her cheeks—whether out of embarrassment or irritation was unclear.

Sebastian and the others found her reaction amusing, though they pretended not to notice and relaxed on their seats.

"E-especially those two witches. And especially the one whose face looks… villainous," Ai added, referring to Devy and, more pointedly, Yura.

"Oh… so you already recognized they're magicians. Your detection ability is improving," Al commented, instead of answering directly.

Ai snapped her head back toward him, her expression sharp.

"Master!" she snapped.

Al scratched his head helplessly.

"Ahaha… fine, fine. I'll explain," he replied.

Ai nodded, her curiosity clearly swelling.

The other three were just as intrigued, eager to learn more about the individuals capable of interacting so closely with Al.

So Al began explaining—starting with their identities, Yura's background, then revealing that Devy was a DIAR like them, still independent, and apparently acquainted with a mysterious DIAR individual.

This mysterious DIAR possessed extensive knowledge of the magical world and specialized in crafting magitek specifically for DIAR.

Up to that point, the narrative centered heavily on Devy—naturally capturing the interest of Sebastian, Reina, and Hans, given Devy's many connections to DIAR and magical society.

The three listened with clear enthusiasm—their eyes gleaming with curiosity, nodding occasionally, their expressions shifting each time Al revealed another fragment of information.

But one person was not particularly captivated by Devy or Yura's background. Ai.

She did not feel the need to understand Devy's potential, nor was she unfamiliar with the Yura family—the Atenri family—with whom she currently had business dealings.

Although it was indeed her first time hearing of Yura personally.

Ai was restless; what she wanted to know was Yura—her personality, Al's view of her, and the nature of their relationship. Not merely her background.

"Master… you're explaining more about that girl named Devy. I'm more curious about the one named Yura," she complained.

Al and the other three couldn't help but laugh at her adorably irritated tone.

Al then recounted how he met Yura at the café, elaborated on her personality—specifically her sadistic tendencies—and explained how Yura had been residing in Europe for some time, which explained why Ai hadn't heard of her.

The explanation continued—until he reached the crucial part. He paused, contemplating whether he should reveal the matter of the fake relationship now.

In the end, he chose honesty, knowing Ai's intuition was too sharp; sooner or later, the truth would come out anyway.

"And… because of that incident, she asked me to be her fake boyfriend until her public image recovers," Al admitted reluctantly.

"Personally, I wasn't keen on the idea. I planned to help her in another way—like asking for your assistance," he added.

"But she was extremely persistent. She even came to my house and declared our relationship in front of my family. So… what else could I do?"

"I figured that once in a while, meddling in matters we normally wouldn't interfere with might not be too bad," he concluded.

His explanation carried a tone of sincerity—gentle and honest.

Ai gazed into him deeply, as though dissecting his words to ensure nothing was left unsaid.

After a moment, she nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"Is that truly all, Master?" she asked, seeking reassurance.

Al nodded.

"Yup. And honestly, forming ties with her isn't a bad thing. Through her, I was able to approach Devy—which means… we now have a far greater chance of meeting that mysterious individual," Al explained.

"That person seems to know a great deal—especially regarding the world's history and DIAR itself. Finding them should bring major advantages to our mission," he added.

The three subordinates nodded. Ai exhaled softly in agreement.

Al gazed at her with a long, deliberate look—one deep enough to trace the faint tremble on her lashes.

Before a quiet amusement curled at the corner of his lips, a subtle reaction to the sight of Ai's tightly-contained jealousy that slipped through despite her best attempts to remain composed.

"I didn't know something like this could stir up your jealousy," he teased lightly, his tone laced with an almost lazy intrigue.

Ai did not rise to the bait. Instead, she averted her gaze toward the window, drawing in a soft breath as she forced her expression back into tranquility.

Even so, the residual blush still clung to her cheeks like an afterglow she couldn't extinguish.

Eventually, she tilted her head—resting it against Al's shoulder—though her eyes remained fixed in the opposite direction.

"Jealousy is human, isn't it?" she muttered softly, her voice quiet but steady.

"And besides," she continued, her tone slipping into a gentle earnestness,

"I don't actually mind… whoever or whatever ends up standing beside you, Master. I only want to make sure that the people around you are truly worthy of you."

"So you think you are worthy of being with me?" Al asked, his voice carrying that familiar, almost playful provocation again.

Ai looked at him for a brief second, only to instantly turn her face away, the color on her cheeks deepening even further. She nodded—slowly, almost bashfully.

"Of course," she replied in a small, unwavering voice.

"If someone else wants to be by your side but can't match the standards the four of us uphold, then they are simply not qualified."

"Especially when it comes to their feelings for you… and the way they treat you."

Al let out a laugh at the unexpectedly blunt answer. The other three could only chuckle as well.

None of them felt awkward hearing that kind of act and confession.

In fact, there was a shared, subtle gratitude—an acknowledgment that, despite the battles and shadows surrounding their lives, they could still experience fragments of ordinary human existence.

Things like romance, social interactions, and emotional subtleties… they still had access to those.

Al had the urge to tease Ai further, but the moment he glanced from the corner of his eye at the three subordinates watching them, he felt it would be a little too cruel to make them endure the scene.

So he shifted targets.

"How about the rest of you?" he asked casually.

The three froze for a moment, their expressions blank with confusion at the sudden question.

"What do you mean, Master?" Reina asked, unsure.

Hans also blinked, slightly slack-jawed.

"Do you have any plans for the future? Romance, relationships, and so on?" Al clarified.

Reina took her time thinking, and Hans did too.

"I'm not entirely sure, Master… not if I try thinking about it seriously right now. If it's about wanting it, then of course I do," Reina admitted first.

"It's just... our lives in the shadows are still complicated. My mind is still too occupied by that." She added with a casual exhale.

Hans nodded beside her.

"The same goes for me, Master," he said with respectful sincerity.

"Our roles in public consume a great deal of our time. Our current lifestyle isn't exactly flexible. But the desire is there," he confessed with a faint sigh.

"Taking on the role of Queen's assistant and a field general of Alasia… the life we lead now is strenuous. I want to win this first—finish all of this—then I'll think about things like that." he concluded with resolute determination.

Al nodded quietly. Even if they spoke so logically, he could still clearly see that they did think about such things deep down.

But there was one person whose private life always felt like a sealed vault.

"What about you, Sebastian?" Al finally asked, directing the question to the one who hadn't spoken.

Even Ai glanced over with mild curiosity.

It was rare—almost unheard of—to hear Sebastian talk about anything related to his personal life, let alone his emotions.

For the longest time, Sebastian had been wholly and obsessively devoted to fulfilling his role as Al's right hand, functioning more like a perfectly-calibrated machine than a human being.

Fortunately, his position as a school teacher had given him more opportunities to regulate and express emotional nuance.

Even so, Sebastian remained a cold, quiet figure whose loyalty had long surpassed ordinary dedication.

And unsurprisingly, his answer came out completely closed-off and plain.

"I don't know, Master. I've never even imagined having a life like that in the future. A partner, a family, and so on," he replied with a calm firmness.

"Serving under you is already more than enough for me," he added, tone unwavering.

Al chuckled softly.

"You're as stiff as always when it comes to your private matters," he remarked.

"But like I always tell you, you need to be a little selfish for your own sake. In the end, the one you must win for the most… is yourself."

Sebastian offered the faintest smile and nodded.

"I'll think about it, Master," he said quietly.

Al nodded back and was about to continue the conversation when, unexpectedly, Sebastian spoke first.

"Oh, right. There's something I should report immediately," he said.

"Hm?" Al hummed in response.

"Kian and Bata just sent a report," Sebastian answered, referring to the message he had received through the Glyph a moment earlier.

"Ah… I almost forgot about that." Al exhaled. "In that case, explain."

Sebastian relayed the contents of the message in full.

And instantly, Al's eyes widened. Ai, Reina, and Hans reacted the same way.

A massive revelation—concerning something their forces had just confronted—was spoken clearly through Sebastian's lips.

A sharp tension swept through the entire vehicle, and it became unmistakably clear that something big was about to unfold.

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