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A faint gurgling sound accompanied the crimson liquid as it filled the diamond-carved wine glass.

“This serving hails from a distant noble family—their eldest daughter, aged seventeen, and, of course, a pure virgin.”

I nodded to Tengai, watching him bow reverently as he gracefully put away the bottle, ensuring everything remained impeccably clean, while I moistened my parched throat with the drink.

“Hmm, despite her noble lineage, I find the blood of countryside girls more to my taste—likely because of their balanced, largely vegetarian diet. The blood of opulent nobles tends to be a bit too rich for me. Honestly, noble blood isn’t as special as people make it out to be.”

“Quite thoughtful, Princess. I shall keep that in mind and ensure quality is prioritized above all in the future,” Tengai said, bowing again with a solemn expression.

Speaking of which, my blood supply—my food, essentially—was going to be in jeopardy soon. Haa, this is going to be quite a hassle.

I sighed, lamenting over the situation, but the thought led me to another question—when had I become so desensitized to the scent of blood? When did it stop being something repulsive and turn into just a staple food? I remembered how much I hated it in the beginning, yet somehow, I got used to it. Perhaps it’s human nature to adapt, no matter how much we despise something. Over time, repetition dulls those feelings. It can be either a strength or a weakness, depending on how one views it.

“…What are you thinking, Princess? Your mind seems elsewhere,” Tengai asked, his brows furrowed in concern.

Tengai observed me thoughtfully, noting my brooding posture—one arm resting on the chair’s armrest, the other holding a glass that he had refilled without my noticing.

“Hmm—oh, my apologies. I was thinking about the days ahead. With the lands below on the brink of annihilation, we’ll have to rely on extracting blood from the refugees who board the Sky Garden. I suppose luxury only lasts so long.”

“You need not trouble yourself with such trivial concerns, Princess. We can procure as many humans as needed, and if it comes to it, we can secure specific individuals for your sustenance—or even have them breed to replenish the population. Rest assured.”

Uh-huh, he really was a monster of pure logic… or perhaps just entirely self-centered? I’d thought of the Sky Garden as something akin to Noah’s Ark, but now I couldn’t shake the feeling it was becoming my personal farm instead.

“Ahem, just don’t go overboard. It’s always best to live without imposing too much on either side.”

“I will take that to heart,” Tengai replied with a bow.

…Why doesn’t that fill me with much confidence, I wonder.

“Err… It’s good that My Lady seems comfortable, but I, for one, feel rather suffocated…”

Kagerou grumbled, his disgruntled voice coming from the recessed area near the room’s entrance. The room, styled after traditional Japanese architecture, featured a raised platform at one end where my seat was placed. Spanning 500 tatami mats in size, it even included an expansive landscape garden.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor without a cushion—likely because no one had bothered to provide him one—Kagerou poured himself a drink from a container resembling a sake bottle. He took a single sip, then immediately shook the container at me with a grimace of distaste.

“You see, this blood stinks. I mean, it’s blood, so I wasn’t expecting it to taste like Château Margaux. But this stench is unbearable—too strong and too persistent. Where on earth did you even get it from?”

Wow, the audacity. He shows up like he owns the place and now has the nerve to nitpick over what’s served. Tengai, maintaining his usual stately tone with only a thin veneer of politeness, offered an explanation.

“Is that doubt I hear? Rest assured, every drop of blood in this castle comes from chaste, young virgins. Anything less would be an insult.”

“…Really?” Kagerou’s skeptical expression didn’t waver as he brought the bowl to his lips again.

“By the way,” Tengai added, “the blood in your bowl comes from a 38-year-old unemployed virgin. Specifically, a bald, overweight man with an unhealthy obsession with certain ‘questionable’ media.”

“—Pffft!!”

Kagerou sprayed the blood he’d just sipped, creating a red geyser.

“What the heck did you just make me drink?! Ugh, I feel gross just thinking about it!”

While Kagerou writhed on the floor, overwhelmed by a chaotic mix of emotions (or nausea?), Tengai cast a cold, unflinching stare in his direction. “You should be grateful we’re even bothering to be hospitable,” he said curtly. Meanwhile, a group of maids materialized silently and began scrubbing the blood-soaked tatami mats with practiced efficiency.

“Princess, pardon my intrusion during your rest, but there is an urgent matter to discuss.”

Mikoto entered the room, her composed demeanor contrasting sharply with the absurd scene before her: Kagerou squirming on the floor, maids cleaning frantically, and Tengai exuding his usual intimidating presence.

She hesitated for a moment, confusion flashing across her face. However, after seeing Tengai and me remain utterly indifferent, she simply bowed and approached the raised platform where I sat.

“The other nations have roughly decided on their policies. However, Princess Oliana, King Collard, and Representative Revan have each requested a private audience with you. How shall we proceed?”

“Perfect. I’d been wanting to speak with them as well. Bring them her—”

I stopped mid-sentence, glancing at Kagerou, who was now sulking on the veranda, nibbling on manju. While he could probably remain unseen if he chose, there was always a chance he’d cause trouble. Plus, the traditional Japanese-style room might overwhelm the foreign dignitaries. I reconsidered.

“On second thought, bring them to another room. They’d probably faint if they saw Kagerou.”

I sighed as I gave the order. Hearing me, Kagerou scratched his cheek awkwardly, bowing his head.

“I greatly appreciate your thoughtfulness, My Lady.”

“Well, whatever. But I think an explanation is long overdue. Let’s settle this once everything is over.”

I shrugged and turned toward the exit, my attire flowing behind me—a twenty-layered ceremonial garment reminiscent of a Chinese-style kimono. The ensemble consisted of five intricately designed pieces: a long skirt paired with an outermost white robe, adorned with patterns of roses and snowflakes.

“Then again… who knows if we’ll even get that chance.”

Thinking about what those three might say regarding the «Void Mist», I sighed deeply.

◆◇◆◇

“In the end, everyone agreed… not to focus on age or health but to prioritize selecting boys and girls of certain status.”

As Oliana mentioned ‘status,’ her gaze dropped, and her expression turned somber.

“This decision is deeply unfair to our citizens; we know this all too well. But with the limited time we have, we can’t afford to waste it contemplating. It’s also too late to make this common knowledge. I will dispatch messengers to the relevant individuals in and around the capital. Should they refuse, we’ll let it be—but if they incite rebellion, we may need to restrain them. In any case, with the «Void Mist» set to consume the empire in a week, it will only amount to temporary confinement or monitoring.”

Christoff sat beside Oliana, his presence steady as she forced a faint smile, though the pain in her expression was unmistakable.

“That’s a sound decision. Your empire is simply too vast. Besides, any evacuation attempt would likely be met with skepticism—some might even dismiss it as a hoax. Radicals could use the opportunity to stir unrest, potentially sparking an armed revolt. You’re absolutely right to handle this discreetly.”

I said, ensuring my tone remained steady before continuing, “By the way… what about you, May Bell? When are you planning to move here?”

A faint smile spread across Oliana’s face as she responded, “As their leader, it’s my duty to stay until the very end—well, until the world ends, that is. So please don’t concern yourself with my slot. However, as something of an exchange, I’ll be leaving Young Christoff here. Please look after him.”

This clearly wasn’t an impulsive decision. Christoff’s expression twisted with bitterness as he looked down, while Oliana bowed beside him.

After Oliana finished speaking, King Collard took his turn, wearing a calm smile with Chloe standing beside him.

“We’ll primarily focus on recruiting young adventurers ranked B or higher, along with promising second-grade magicians and above. Thankfully, the «Void Mist» will take a bit longer to reach our kingdom, so we aren’t as pressed for time. Our criteria for selection are also more flexible, and we might even announce the situation to the general populace.”

“Even if that causes mass panic?”

“I’m prepared for that. And if they strip me of my position… well, I was just a placeholder anyway. I’m hardly king material. Besides, you wouldn’t be cruel enough to chain me to the throne while the «Void Mist» creeps closer, would you, Your Majesty?”

King Collard let out a hearty laugh as he reached up to pat his wife’s shoulder—or was he the one being patted? Given their noticeable height difference, it looked more like Chloe was enveloping King Collard in a gentle hug.

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