Leyndell, Rykard's Mansion.
The three-story building continued Rykard's extravagant style, occupied a considerable area, and looked as magnificent as a palace.
Living inside looked like it ought to be quite enjoyable.
But Rykard himself was in a terrible mood. The mansion meant for his enjoyment had become a cage that trapped him.
The man imprisoning him was none other than Radagon, the Elden Lord who possessed boundless power and commanded the Lands Between.
Incidentally, that was his biological father, who had also found him a stepmother.
As his son, he found that sort of thing difficult to accept.
Strictly speaking, Rykard had ten thousand reasons to overthrow the Golden Dynasty.
His own ambition, avenging his mother, taking revenge on his father...
Any one of them would have been particularly fitting.
He was more than qualified to be the male lead in a tale of political intrigue and revenge. The kind without a female lead, at that.
If someone insisted on naming a female lead in Rykard's script, it would probably have to be his beloved younger sister, Ranni.
Indeed, the siblings had hit it off immediately on the matter of rebellion. They had never been so in sync.
He had never expected Ranni, who seemed withdrawn and somewhat frail, to be so bold, quietly plotting to escape her predicament first, then destroy the Two Fingers.
Come on, Ranni was going to take on the Two Fingers. There was simply no way Rykard could refuse.
Rykard had racked his brains without finding a way to free himself from the Two Fingers. Ranni had actually volunteered to take on that part of the burden. That was wonderful.
Speaking of which, Rykard had a feeling that the Two Fingers seemed especially fond of Ranni and paid her particular attention.
The other two Empyreans,