Suddenly, a firm grip clamped over Kilo’s mouth and neck from behind, freezing her in place.

"Mmh-mhm!"

Kilo instinctively struggled, but the cold voice that entered her ears instantly stilled her movements.

"Don’t move. Don’t struggle."

The voice sounded as though it had crawled straight out of a grave. An icy chill shot down Kilo’s spine, and she instinctively nodded. Yet her mind raced wildly.

Who was it? The other maids? Someone who had spotted her? But how? Her rune art was still active!

"Swallow it."

Kilo felt something being forced into her mouth. Her eyes widened instantly. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good!

"Mmh— mmph!"

She immediately began struggling, but another arm suddenly tightened around her throat.

"Hurk- Kirk!"

Tears welled up in Kilo’s eyes as she struggled to breathe. The grip was so tight that fingers dug into her skin, blood slowly trickling down her neck.

’I’m going to die!’

Seeing no other choice, she relented and swallowed it. It was bitter... the sharp taste of herbs lingering on her tongue.

A moment later, the grip around her loosened. Kilo immediately tore herself free, stumbling forward as rough coughs escaped her throat while she struggled to regain her bearings.

"Cough! Cough— W-what did you feed me!?"

Kilo raised her gaze. Under the silver moonlight, a pair of cold purple eyes stared down at her.

Kilo felt as though a bucket of icy water had just been poured over her entire body.

"Y-young l-lord?"

There was no doubt it was Zephyrion. Yet something about his presence made Kilo freeze completely in place.

Those were not the eyes of a seventeen-year-old.

"W-what are yo—"

"I’ve just fed you an Ironbrand."

"Ironbrand...!?"

Kilo’s eyes widened in alarm. An Ironbrand was an elixir containing countless nano-metals programmed with intricate runes.

Once ingested, it entered the bloodstream and embedded itself throughout the body. Those nano-metals could then be controlled by their imprinted owner. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

It was commonly used by slave traders within the Ferran Empire to keep slaves obedient. Once implanted, no one besides the owner could manipulate those metals.

Kilo struggled to understand why such a thing would even be in the possession of their seventeen-year-old young lord.

"Y-young l-lord... w-wha—"

A violent surge of pain suddenly tore through Kilo’s body.

"AHHH!"

Kilo collapsed to her knees screaming in agony. It felt as though molten lava was coursing through her veins. The pain was so overwhelming she could barely think.

’I-it’s true.’

He really had fed her an Ironbrand!

A moment passed before the pain finally subsided. Kilo slowly lifted her trembling gaze, only to find Zephyrion calmly staring down at her.

Somehow, that indifferent expression made her feel a thousand times more afraid.

It was at that moment Kilo realized this was not the kind of person she could ever afford to anger.

"I’m going to ask you a few questions. You’ll answer truthfully. Understand?"

"...y-yes, y-young lord."

"You’ve been spying on me since I arrived. Correct?"

Kilo’s eyes widened. Admitting such a thing was practically forfeiting her life.

But... she swallowed hard before slowly nodding.

"Y-yes."

"You’re a mother. Correct?"

"...y-yes, my lord."

"How many?"

Kilo couldn’t help but pause. It was an odd question, but given the situation, she quickly understood. He was probably trying to soften her up before getting to the main question.

Still, it was an opportunity. She could use this to gain his sympathy.

"T-two..."

"Names."

"K-Kin and Ren... f-four and six years old... T-they lost their father a few years back..."

"Where are they?"

"...the capital, my lord."

Zephyrion suddenly fell silent.

Under his gaze, Kilo swallowed nervously, a growing sense of unease threatening to overwhelm her.

Finally, Zephyrion spoke.

"Who do you report to?"

Kilo clenched her teeth tightly.

"P-please my lord... i-if I say it, h-he’ll kill m— AHHHH!"

Another violent surge of pain tore through her body, causing her to collapse onto the floor.

This time, it lasted far longer, leaving Kilo trembling violently by the end of it. Her face had gone deathly pale, and her breathing came out ragged and uneven.

Slowly, she lifted her eyes toward Zephyrion.

Yet his expression remained utterly unmoved.

He did not speak. Yet somehow, his silence felt so oppressive that Kilo found her mouth moving on its own.

"...City Lord Ociden, my lord."

Zephyrion’s unmoved eyes narrowed faintly. He remained silent for several moments before finally speaking in a cold tone.

"How do you report to him?"

"...t-through another spy, my lord... h-his name is Forem. I leave notes inside the clay pot behind the kitchen... he comes to collect them..."

As the silence stretched on, Kilo suddenly dropped to the ground, pleading desperately.

"P-please my lord... I know I’ve offended you, but please... for the sake of my children at least... spare me. I’ll stop spying. I swear it. I’ll disappear if I have to, please..."

Tears welled up in Kilo’s eyes as her body trembled uncontrollably. Yet in the face of her pleading, Zephyrion’s expression remained utterly indifferent.

"I don’t want you to stop."

"...what?"

Kilo slowly lifted her head, confusion filling her face. However, Zephyrion merely returned her gaze calmly.

"Continue exactly as you have been. Don’t change anything. What you saw tonight, report that as well. Don’t alter a single detail."

Kilo was left speechless, unable to comprehend what was going through Zephyrion’s mind.

"Also, the other maids... they’re spies too, correct?"

Kilo’s eyes widened in shock.

’So he knew.’

From the very beginning, the young lord had known about every single one of them. Yet he hadn’t done anything.

Which meant... they had been dancing right in the palm of his hand this entire time.

Kilo’s heart trembled violently. Was this truly a seventeen-year-old child?

"...yes, my lord..."

"Good. You’re going to find out who they serve and report it back to me. And if you ever think about crossing me..."

Zephyrion leaned forward slightly, his cold purple eyes locking directly onto hers.

"I know how to find your children."

"Haa..."

Kilo felt every ounce of strength drain from her body.

So this was why he had asked about her children...

No... this wasn’t a seventeen-year-old child.

This... this was a demon.