Ranni

The temperature in the debate parlor plunged, while wave after wave of dragon roars rose outside, making their hearts clench.

Any inventory of Ranni's considerable resources had to include more than the Carian Royal Family's enchanted knights, her shadow companion Half-Wolf Blaidd, and Iji, the Troll blacksmith and military adviser. Her dragon knight could not be overlooked either.

Adula, who had once "devoured sorcerers," had sworn allegiance to the dark moon after Ranni subdued him, becoming a Flying Dragon Knight who served her alone. Thankfully, he was not an ancient dragon.

The dragon's roars made it clear that Adula had arrived outside the Academy, with Ranni and her entourage following close behind.

"Whoosh."

A cold wind swept through, extinguishing every light in the debate parlor and plunging the entire room into darkness. Even someone as powerful as Malenia felt the bone-piercing chill.

A full moon lit up the darkness. A black figure lunged toward Malenia, blocking her path, while a white figure appeared on the debate parlor's upper floor.

Beneath the moonlight, their eyes adjusted, and Zhao Si saw Half-Wolf Blaidd. He stood roughly two meters tall, with a royal greatsword on his back and black armor adorned with thick fur.

His unmistakable wolf's head turned as he surveyed his surroundings. His wolfish eyes swept over Zhao Si's group before settling on Malenia.

He said nothing, merely watching Malenia in silence.

The white figure upstairs needed no introduction. She was the renowned Lunar Princess, Ranni. She wore white Snow Witch robes, and a broad-brimmed, pointed hat concealed her face. Her build seemed a little smaller than Malenia's, but with her looking down from upstairs, it was difficult to judge.

Below the railing in front of Ranni crouched a Bloodhound Knight.

The strange Bloodhound Knight wore fitted armor that covered his entire body and a helmet with a protruding faceplate. Bloodhound's Fang rested on his back, and he wore Bloodhound Claws on his left hand.

Bloodhound Knight Darriwil had sworn allegiance to Ranni, vowing never to betray her.

Malenia lowered her head slightly. "Ranni, please don't misunderstand..."

"Misunderstand?" Ranni's cool voice sent a chill through them. "You walked in here yourselves, didn't you? What is there to misunderstand?"

"I mean we didn't come to provoke you," Malenia explained wearily. "We truly need the Full Moon Queen's help."

Ranni remained unmoved. "Your very presence here is a provocation."

Because of Radagon, Ranni had never treated Miquella and Malenia kindly. In the past, when the Demigods gathered in Leyndell for family meetings, Malenia had felt the strange looks from the three older siblings. Radahn was not so bad, but Rykard and Ranni's gazes were far too sharp.

Even a blind person could see their displeasure, in every sense.

"I know Father let her down..." Before Malenia could finish, Ranni interrupted her.

"You have the nerve to mention that bastard." Ranni's voice grew colder still. White mist rose in the debate parlor, and a thin layer of ice became visible.

The enchanted knights, led by Loretta, knelt motionless before Ranni, as though the cold had nothing to do with them. Blaidd remained on guard against Malenia, never relaxing for a moment. His hand never left his sword's hilt.

It was as though Malenia might harm Ranni at any moment.

Malenia's brow furrowed. "What happened between our parents wasn't something we children wanted to see either. You know what my brother and I are like. Perhaps this is our punishment."

"Don't think your birth defects will win you sympathy." Ranni's attitude did not change in the slightest. "Unless he comes back and begs my mother's forgiveness, nothing you say matters."

In Ranni's eyes, Radagon was a bastard who had taken advantage of Godfrey's departure to abandon his wife and children, marry a new lover, and become Elden Lord. The thought of that man's blood flowing through her made her feel sick over and over again.

She could not help gripping the railing, and only after taking a deep breath did she regain her composure.

The poor Full Moon Queen had been abandoned, her mind damaged. Even her unborn child had been affected, left sealed in amber, unable to be born. Yet Radagon had sent only a Great Rune as consolation.

"Compared with your disabilities, isn't my unborn little brother or sister far more pitiable?" Ranni's words left Malenia speechless.

No one could explain why Radagon had been in such a hurry to marry Marika and succeed to the throne. Only Zhao Si knew the reason.

Listening to this family melodrama unfold, Zhao Si was beginning to believe what Helena had told him back then. He had taken the talk of a family melodrama as a joke and thought nothing of it, but now that he saw it, this really was the script of a prime-time soap opera. Fortunately, few of these people had married and had children. Otherwise, the relationships between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law alone could have filled a five-hundred-episode series.

Blaidd had kept himself between them, likely because he was considering another possibility-he feared Ranni might lose control and strike first.

He was both guarding against Malenia and protecting Ranni. In this dispute, whoever struck first would be in the wrong.

Zhao Si stood, walked up to Blaidd, and raised his head to meet his eyes. "The previous generation's grudges belong to them. Our generation has its own business to attend to. If you're angry, we can go smash up Leyndell. There's no need to take it out on my senior sister here."

"You have no right to speak here." It was Blaidd who answered Zhao Si.

Blaidd was much taller than Zhao Si and looked down at him.

Ranni and Malenia were equals, so Blaidd did not interrupt their conversation. But when an unknown nobody like Zhao Si dared step forward and spout nonsense, Blaidd had to teach him a lesson.

"I wouldn't presume to understand how you feel, but there's a secret I'd like to tell the princess. Once she knows it, there'll still be time to argue." Facing the mountain-like Blaidd, Zhao Si mustered his presence so he would not be overwhelmed.

Blaidd met him head-on. "Whatever secret you have, say it here. Do you expect the princess to meet with you alone?"

Malenia placed a hand on Zhao Si's shoulder. "Don't say anything reckless. This has nothing to do with you."

She was trying to protect Zhao Si, warning him not to provoke someone so dangerous. If the mighty Lunar Princess took offense, how hard would it be for her to swat a Tarnished dead?

Even the Fingers would have no complaints.

"Ranni, I'm sorry. This is my junior brother. He doesn't really understand the rules. What's between us has nothing to do with him. I came to the Academy to seek an audience with the queen only because I heard she could cure my illness." Malenia seized the chance to explain herself to Ranni.

Ranni said, "Who told you that? The father bullied my mother, and now his children have come to use her. Do you really think there's no one left in Caria to stand up for her?"

"No, no. I only came to ask. If she can't, that's fine too. I don't want to do anything that would hurt the queen." Male-

-nia had kept her posture humble throughout, without any of the sharpness of "Miquella's Blade."

Perhaps that was what being in the wrong did to someone. She knew her father's actions had been shameful. She simply could not bring herself to challenge her older half-sister.

Ranni waved a hand, signaling that she wanted no more pointless talk.

Blaidd took the hint and ordered them out. "My apologies, everyone. You are not welcome in Caria. Please return whence you came."

Malenia sighed and took Zhao Si's hand to leave. Zhao Si caught her wrist instead. "Senior sister, if things get dangerous in a moment, please protect Helena."

Malenia froze. "What are you planning?"

"Since there's no way to speak privately, I'll have to make what I know public." Zhao Si's gaze was resolute.

He believed the best way to deal with a conspiracy was to confront it head-on. What seemed like a plot born of infighting would ultimately become a disaster that swept across the Lands Between. Ordinary people like Thops and Shrimp-Meat Boy should not have to bear the troubles of royalty and nobility.

-Have you heard the children crying in anguish? Have you noticed the conspirators grinning viciously as their plans succeed? Have you ever considered that family might no longer be family?

Zhao Si raised his head, looking past Blaidd and straight at Ranni.

Ranni happened to lift her head then, revealing an exquisite face. Her skin was fair, and her eyes shone like sapphires, seeming to hold billions of stars. As expected of the Lunar Princess, the whole aesthetic suddenly took a turn toward Mary Sue territory.

Ranni's true appearance had inherited Rennala's dignified elegance and Radagon's red hair, though her figure was petite for a Demigod, nowhere near as tall as her parents. Her hair was cut short. Clearly, she disliked that red hair very much. If she had not cared about her appearance, she probably would have shaved her head.

After all, not everyone could take it in stride like Radahn-and be proud of their red hair.

"The Fingers already know."

Zhao Si spoke those baffling words to Ranni.