Leon’s POV

Both Moriarty and the Prince were already down, sprawled across the ruined ground, and from the looks of it, they were finally unconscious.

For a moment, I just stood there, letting the silence settle in. The aftermath of the fight stretched around me, from the broken stone, cracked earth, and scattered debris marking where everything had gone wrong for them. It still felt a little surreal.

With the transformation, it didn’t even take weeks like I originally expected. Just a few hours, and they were already out cold. That alone said a lot about how much things had changed for me. Because of that, I managed to keep the overall damage from spiraling too far out of control. Sure, the place was still wrecked, no denying that, but it could have been worse. Way worse.

A quick glance around told me enough. Walls were gone, parts of the ground were caved in, and a few structures looked like they were barely holding themselves together out of pure stubbornness. Still, it was manageable. The Dwarven Kingdom would have a field day fixing this. If anything, they’d probably complain a bit, take a look around, then get to work like it was just another job.

Honestly, I’d leave it to them.

What bothered me more was something else.

I didn’t expect the transformation to push me this far. Strength like this... it didn’t even feel fair. Not for Moriarty, not for the Prince, not for anyone I’d end up facing if this kept going.

The whole fight felt off because of that.

It was too fast, too clean, and too... easy.

It left this weird taste in my mouth. I thought it would be more intense, something that dragged on and forced me to think, to struggle, or to actually work for the win. Instead, it ended before it could even feel like a proper battle.

A part of me felt disappointed.

Another part reminded me that this was exactly what I wanted.

With less damage. Less risk. A quick end.

So yeah, complaining about it would just make me sound ungrateful at this point.

I let out a quiet breath and shifted my gaze toward the Prince.

Right now, he was completely naked, his transformation completely gone like it had never even existed.

Guess whatever power he had wasn’t something he could maintain once he lost consciousness. That made things a little easier for me. At least I didn’t have to worry about him suddenly waking up mid-transformation and causing another round of problems.

Still, I couldn’t just leave him like that.

He needed to be restrained. Properly this time.

Something strong enough to keep him from pulling that transformation. Not just a basic restraint either. I needed something that could suppress his abilities completely. His power, and more importantly, the influence of the Great Red.

That wasn’t something I could half-ass.

I’d have to get a proper power dampener. Something high-grade. Probably beyond what most people could even make.

After making a mental note of that, I turned my attention to Moriarty.

There was something that had been bothering me since earlier. A question I never got the chance to ask during the fight. Everything happened too fast, and it slipped through.

Now though, things were quiet.

Now I could ask.

I started walking toward him. When I got close enough, I stopped and looked down.

Something was off.

His hair looked longer than before. Not by a small amount either. It was noticeable enough to catch my attention immediately. Then there was his body.

It was thinner. More slender.

It didn’t match what I remembered from earlier.

There was a shift in his overall appearance that I couldn’t ignore.

It felt... off.

Almost effeminate.

I crouched slightly and reached out, brushing his hair aside so I could get a better look at his face.

That’s when his eyes snapped open.

He was glaring straight at me.

But something about it felt wrong.

It didn’t feel like I was looking at Moriarty anymore.

It felt like I was staring at someone else entirely.

A woman.

He hugged himself. Or rather, she did. Her arms wrapped around her body as she pushed herself upright. At the same time, she slid back slightly, putting just enough distance between us while keeping her eyes locked onto mine.

Red eyes.

Black hair.

Something about her felt familiar.

For a second, I paused, trying to place it.

Then it clicked.

Lilith.

The resemblance wasn’t exact, but it was there. Enough to make the comparison stick in my head.

I stared at her for a moment, processing what I was seeing.

So Moriarty was... this?

I didn’t expect that.

"Who are you?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.

"You’re asking that now?" she replied, a smile forming on her lips.

It wasn’t a pleasant smile.

There was something bitter behind it, like she found the timing amusing in a way that didn’t quite sit right. It felt like she was mocking me without actually saying it outright.

"Well," she continued, her tone light but edged, "does it really matter who I am?"

Before I could respond, her body started shifting again.

The change wasn’t instant. It happened gradually, like something molding itself into shape. Her frame altered, her features shifting until the female form disappeared completely.

In its place, the version of Moriarty I had fought earlier returned.

Like nothing had happened at all.

"It’s not really going to matter much, after all."

The moment he said that, something felt off.

A pressure.

I glanced upward.

A massive fireball was already descending from above, blazing as it cut through the air. Sitting above it was a huge magic circle, glowing with enough intensity to make it obvious that this wasn’t just some casual spell.

That level of magic wasn’t common.

Only one person came to mind.

Gaspard.

Of course it had to be him.

That split second of distraction cost me.

I looked back down, but Moriarty was already gone.

He or she used Portal Maker. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

I clicked my tongue lightly, more annoyed than surprised.

At least he didn’t take the Prince with him.

The Prince was still there, completely out of it.

I didn’t have time to dwell on it.

The fireball was already closing in.

I activated Guardian instantly, raising the barrier just in time to meet the impact. The force slammed into it, sending a heavy vibration through the ground beneath my feet. Heat flared outward, but the barrier held firm, containing it before it could spread.

The explosion died down gradually, the energy dispersing until nothing was left but the aftermath.

Silence followed.

I stood there for a moment, staring ahead as everything settled.

I didn’t fully understand what just happened.

It all happened too quickly to piece together cleanly.

Still, one thing felt clear.

Everything was over.

The biggest threat standing against Myrcella’s claim to the throne had just been taken out.

Moriarty was gone.

The Prince was down.

And right now, there wasn’t anyone left who could realistically stand in her way.

I let out a slow breath.

Looks like she was getting her crown after all.