The red-haired noble's words echoed through the room like a proclamation. "It's our solemn duty," he called out theatrically, eyes glittering with anticipation, "To stop this monster who dares lay hands on innocent children!"

Delia's bow hummed with energy, her four eyes narrowing to sinister slits. She waited for Kaiser's first twitch, perfectly poised to deliver another venom-laced arrow. To Kaiser's left, the armored giant surged forward like an avalanche, heavy footsteps shaking the polished stone beneath.

Kaiser's body screamed in protest, the broken ribs grinding painfully together, his heartbeat sluggish from Delia's poison. He forced the smirk to remain, even as every muscle trembled under the unfamiliar strain. He was outmatched, cornered, vulnerable, and yet, Kaiser felt a familiar thrill rise in his chest, overshadowing the pain. Danger like this was rare.

His eyes flicked briefly toward Celestine and Aria. Celestine's palm glowed faintly, and Aria held her bow taut, teeth gritted. Yet he raised his hand sharply, an unspoken command to stand down. This was his battle, and to let it be anything less would be humiliating.

He tried to drop into a fighting stance, but to his surprise, his body didn't fully obey. Usually, he never had to think about the condition of his body in a fight, but now, his muscles felt thick and slow, as if he were wading through mud. For a moment, he wondered if it was simply the injuries or poison, but then realization struck: the Elder Core was draining his strength, negating his regeneration, stifling his Sol. He could feel it, the constant background ache of his wounds, multiple ribs cracked or broken, flesh bruised and battered beneath even the new armor. The sheer force of the mountain of muscle's earlier punch had left him badly damaged, and now, every movement sent fresh spikes of agony radiating through his torso.

It was worse than that. He remembered, with a grim curl of his lips, that his armor itself depended on Sol—his own, and the pulsing blue core embedded at his chest. That energy, too, was being siphoned away, leaving the armor heavy, cumbersome, almost suffocating. The protection felt like a prison, every plate and link dead weight. He shifted and staggered, the world spinning nauseatingly around him.

And then the poison hit harder. His blood felt thick and cold, his vision swimming, extremities tingling with pins and needles. That venom, now unopposed by any healing, ran rampant through his veins, turning the dizziness into a leaden, suffocating fog.

So now he was powerless, in a suit of useless armor that weighed him down, with multiple ribs broken and poisoned, against three people, all of whom he'd noticed, with no small amount of black humor, bore the telltale signs of orange Sol cores. Each of them, under normal circumstances, would have been a challenge. Together, right now, with his body crippled and his mind growing cloudy, they were a genuine threat.

He almost wanted to laugh.

"You insist on being foolish, then come," Kaiser laughed out, crimson eyes flashing with predatory menace. "Come and see what it will cost you."

The red-haired noble lunged first, bright red sword sliding free from its sheathe like a whisper of silver. Now behind Kaiser, Delia loosed her arrow, calculating his retreat, forcing him into the noble's blade, while the giant barreled in from the left, fists like battering rams.

Kaiser pivoted on his heel, managing a fraction of his usual speed, narrowly dodging the noble's opening strike. But he could not evade Delia's arrow. It punctured through a gap in his armor near his shoulder, erupting with searing pain as another dose of poison burned through his veins.

"Sloppy," Delia mocked, smirking coldly. "Are you really the man they whispered about? How disappointing."

"Stay still, puny human!" the giant roared, bringing a massive armored fist down like a hammer, aiming to crush him outright. Kaiser sidestepped clumsily, his broken ribs screaming with every breath.

The noble spun, sword a blur, forcing Kaiser backward until his back pressed against a wall. Trapped, wounded, powerless, the poison now made his vision blur. But still, Kaiser's eyes remained sharp, calculating, refusing defeat. He ducked as the giant's massive fist embedded itself into the wall behind him, shattering marble into dust.

"This is justice," the noble sneered theatrically, twirling his blade. "The Liberatorium will surely understand. A noble brother, protecting an innocent child from a ruthless aggressor."

Kaiser's mind raced furiously, the haze thickening around him. He saw clearly that Celestine's orders meant nothing to them, her status hollowed, at least among these nobles. Anger burned brighter than the poison inside him, contempt at their arrogance.

As they closed around him again, the noble stepped forward confidently, prepared to finish it. "Goodbye, monster," he whispered, almost tenderly.

Kaiser raised his gaze, eyes ablaze with sudden, chilling clarity. "No," he growled, voice colder than ice.

With sheer willpower alone, Kaiser forced his battered body forward, shocking them with the force of his counterattack. He smashed into the noble's guard, armor clanging against sword. His teeth bared like a wild beast, he seized the noble's throat in a desperate, iron grip, squeezing until the man's eyes widened in genuine terror.

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"Monster, you say?" Kaiser rasped, his voice raw, lethal. "Then why am I the only one here strong enough to face death without fear?"

"Kill him!" the noble choked out desperately.

Delia's bow twitched, aiming directly at Kaiser's temple, fingers straining—but Kaiser swung the choking noble around like a human shield, forcing her to hesitate. The giant roared, hesitating similarly, fists trembling.

Suddenly, the air in the chamber thickened. A presence sharper than steel, colder than winter, descended upon them all. From the corner of the room stepped Botanica, her eyes blazing—one gold, one blue, both utterly merciless.

"Enough."

It was just one word, but the weight of it silenced everything. Kaiser, despite every instinct screaming otherwise, felt himself freeze in place. Her gaze alone bore down on him, penetrating even his stubborn pride. Reluctantly, involuntarily, his grip loosened around Peter Otharon's throat.

Peter crumpled to the ground, coughing violently, gasping desperately for air. His red hair fell across his face as he struggled upright, eyes wide with humiliation and hatred.

For a heartbeat, no one moved. Then, swift as a striking serpent, Delia raised her bow, eyes glittering with malice.

"You arrogant—"

An arrow flashed forth, streaking toward Kaiser's exposed throat.

Yet before he could even blink, Botanica was there. In a blur of motion too fast for any eye, her slender fingers snatched the poisoned projectile from the air. For the briefest second, silence reigned, broken only by the creak of her glove tightening around the arrow shaft.

"You dropped this," she murmured, her tone deceptively gentle.

Then, without hesitation or mercy, she flicked her wrist. The arrow shot back at Delia with impossible speed, burying itself deep into the woman's thigh. Delia shrieked, collapsing onto one knee as agony radiated through her limb.

"Perhaps," Botanica continued calmly, approaching Peter with slow steps, "Next time, you'll listen when you're told to wait."

She looked at him, who staggered to his feet, rage and shame contorting his once-haughty expression. The giant at his side visibly trembled with uncertainty, fists opening and closing nervously.

Botanica's eyes narrowed slightly, that subtle shift sending a chill through Peter's bones. "Your appointment was set for precisely one hour ago, Peter Otharon," she spoke with meticulous precision. "I did not summon you here so you could indulge your petty vendettas."

Peter spat blood onto the polished floor, gathering the remnants of his dignity. "That man," he growled, pointing shakily at Kaiser, "Attacked us first. We acted in defense—"

Botanica raised a single finger, silencing him mid-sentence. "Do not test my patience with feeble lies," she warned softly. "I witnessed everything."

Her mismatched gaze slid briefly toward Mike, who cowered behind his older brother, then settled once again upon Peter. "When you enter my guildhall, you respect its laws, or you face me. The Elder Core suppresses violence for a reason, Otharon. Do not think your noble blood exempts you."

Peter, pride still inflamed, attempted one last act of defiance. "You dare speak to me this way? My family—"

"Your family," Botanica cut in, her voice dropping to a whisper that carried the weight of a thunderclap, "Understands exactly how precarious its position is. Do not force me to remind them."

Peter recoiled, his bravado draining like blood from a wound. The giant at his side shifted uncomfortably, eyes downcast, recognizing defeat.

Satisfied, Botanica stepped back slightly, smoothing her gloves with practiced composure. "Now, you will take your wounded companion," she glanced at Delia, still moaning quietly, "And your ill-disciplined brother. You will proceed immediately to the private chamber I reserved for our meeting and await me there. Quietly this time."

Peter opened his mouth once more, defiance flickering weakly—but the sharp, pitiless stare from Botanica silenced him instantly. Swallowing painfully, he nodded once, teeth clenched in fury.

"Of course…Lady Relcustica."

With a curt wave, he motioned for the giant to help Delia up. The wounded woman grimaced, stumbling forward, supported reluctantly by her armored companion. Peter guided Mike ahead, casting one last venomous glare toward Kaiser as he passed.

"This is not over," he hissed softly, spite lingering in every syllable.

Kaiser merely smiled coldly through his pain. "I would certainly hope not."

As the nobles retreated, Botanica exhaled slowly, her rigid posture softening just slightly. She turned back to Kaiser, eyes lingering for a brief, inscrutable moment. "Your wounds?"

He shook his head, managing a pained smirk. "A temporary inconveniences. Nothing more."

She inclined her head faintly, a trace of approval in her gaze before she shifted her attention toward Celestine. "Princess, you are unharmed?"

Celestine nodded slowly, eyes still wide with residual shock. "Thanks to you, Botanica. But I must apologize. My authority alone should have been enough to prevent—"

Botanica lifted a graceful hand, halting Celestine's apology gently. "You will learn that authority without consequence is merely empty words. Today, these fools tested yours." Her voice softened slightly. "Ensure they regret it."

Celestine straightened, resolve hardening her gaze. "They will."

Botanica nodded, turning toward the great doors, movements once again fluid and serene. "Attend to your friend, Princess," she advised over her shoulder. "And Kaiser Dios…" She paused briefly, not turning fully, yet her voice carried clearly across the chamber. "Next time someone tries to harm you in my hall, inform me. It's terribly disrespectful."

With that, she walked away, her footsteps echoing softly upon polished marble, leaving behind a terrible silence .

Kaiser let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, slumping slightly with a grunt of pain. Celestine moved swiftly to his side, eyes full of worry.

"You stubborn fool," she murmured, gripping his shoulder firmly. "Look what you've done to yourself."

As her words left her lips, Celestine gently helped Kaiser back onto his feet, her resolve solidifying with every heartbeat.

The doors burst open and Elsie strode in, immediately struck by her own reflection in a nearby polished shield. She twirled, hands on hips, admiring how the black suit clung to every muscle, cape fluttering behind her. "Elsie has never looked this incredible! Who knew heroism could be so stylish? Look at these arms! Look at this—oh, is that real leather?"

It took her a moment to notice the disaster unfolding in the room—Kaiser kneeling, battered, Celestine with blood on her hands, a mess of overturned chairs.

Elsie gasped, pointing at Kaiser with dramatic flair. "Elsie leaves for five minutes, and look at this chaos! But—good job, Celestine, for subduing this villain! Elsie always knew Kaiser would snap someday. Who finally brought him down? Was it you, Princess? Aria, did you finally use your secret power?"

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