Pixie wasn’t just a headache for her father—she was a force of chaos that had set her sights on one particular guest: Chad.

  This man, with his too-friendly ties to the Crimson Frost Duke, had dragged the Ravenshadow family into dangerous waters. The Duke himself, after all, was possessed by a demon from the Forbidden Zone. How could anything good come out of aligning with that sort of influence? To ally with the Crimson Frost Duke was to seal the Ravenshadow family’s doom.

  Pixie’s fists clenched. Chad had to go.

  As the Ravenshadow family’s cherished daughter and wielder of the Eye of Divine Insight, it should’ve been no trouble at all to dispose of someone like Chad. After all, she was more than capable of handling a mere guest.

  Eirik watched her with a grin. "You’ve got quite the filial daughter there, I must say," he remarked, his voice light with amusement.

  He couldn’t help but find Pixie’s antics entertaining. Although he didn’t fully understand the deeper family drama at play, it was clear she had a knack for making things uncomfortable for her father. If Pixie wanted to have fun at Edward's expense, he’d gladly play along. What harm could it do? With the Eye of Divine Insight in his corner, he’d be the one with leverage in the end. It was all just part of the game.

  Elsewhere, in the gardens of Ravenshadow Manor, Edward was marching toward the tea pavilion with dark clouds hanging over his head. The butler followed in his wake, a glint of smug satisfaction flickering in his eyes.

  “The young lady has become far too spoiled. She’s bound to bring disaster to this family,” the butler mused silently.

  "Let the master scold her today. It'll be a blessing in disguise."

  The butler had his own agenda—after all, Chad was his nephew. If the tea pavilion was handed over to Chad, the old man’s influence within the Ravenshadow family would increase. But now that Pixie had claimed it for someone else, he felt a sting of resentment.

  Edward, ever shrewd, could sense the butler’s thoughts but chose to ignore them. What mattered more to him was Chad’s connection to the Crimson Frost Duke—a powerful ally, despite the Duke's eccentricities.

  The Crimson Frost Duke was not your average noble; he was the youngest and most spoiled prince of the Dawnstar Dynasty, carrying royal blood and commanding skilled warriors. His reputation alone was enough to make anyone nervous, and his presence in Aelsryel was bound to cause ripples.

  But despite the Duke’s volatile nature, the Ravenshadow family couldn’t afford to ignore the potential value of such an alliance.

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  As for the young man Pixie had brought home—Edward could only guess he had some potential, otherwise Pixie wouldn't be so enamored with him. But no matter how talented this newcomer was, he was no match for a bond with the Crimson Frost Duke.

  Back in her own chambers, Elvynna paced furiously, her thoughts tangled in a mess of jealousy and frustration.

  "I can't just sit back and do nothing!" she muttered under her breath.

  The thought of Eirik living under the same roof as Pixie was unbearable. What kind of mischief would that scheming little sister get up to now? Alone with him—this was unacceptable.

  Despite the bustling servants and maids filling the Ravenshadow estate, Elvynna couldn't let reason sway her emotions. Her imagination conjured visions of Pixie and Eirik, laughing, dancing, sharing intimate moments together...

  “No! Absolutely not!” Elvynna nearly shouted, her fists clenched. Consumed by jealousy, she made her decision. She cast a flight spell and headed straight for Ravenshadow Manor.

  “Miss Elvynna, are you here to see our young lady?” one of the maids asked politely at the gate, noting how closely the two women were tied.

  “Yes… sort of,” Elvynna answered distractedly, then changed her mind. “Is the head of the family home?”

  “Yes, he is,” the maid responded, her curiosity piqued. She led Elvynna through the estate without asking any further questions.

  By sheer coincidence, as they entered the estate, they crossed paths with Edward, who was making his way to scold Pixie.

  “Uncle Edward,” Elvynna greeted, dipping her head slightly.

  “Ah, child. Come to see my troublesome daughter, have you?” Edward’s smile was warm, but his eyes held a glint of weariness. He respected Elvynna, aware of her unusual talents.

  What few knew was that Elvynna once possessed the Regal Bone of the Ancients, a legendary trait that had been passed down from the first king of the Dawnstar Dynasty. While she no longer had the full power of that gift, the remnants still made her an extraordinary talent—far surpassing Pixie in skill. Edward had always hoped his daughter would learn something from Elvynna’s maturity and steadiness.

  “No, Uncle,” Elvynna replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m not here to see Pixie. I’ve come to join the Ravenshadow family as a guest retainer.”

  It had taken some thought, but Elvynna had devised this plan carefully. If Pixie could live under the same roof as Eirik, so could she. As a fellow guest retainer, perhaps she’d even be able to live closer to him—she wasn’t about to let her Junior Sister steal the upper hand.

  “Ah, so you’ve finally come to your senses?!” Edward exclaimed with obvious joy. His expression brightened, genuinely thrilled at Elvynna’s decision.

  The Ravenshadow family had long offered Elvynna a place within their ranks, but she had always declined. Life in a family like theirs, full of hidden schemes and conflicts, wasn’t to her taste. But now, it seemed she had changed her mind.

  “Wonderful! I was about to go find that troublesome daughter of mine. Let’s go share this good news with her!” Edward said, his spirits lifted.

  Elvynna followed Edward, though a slight unease gnawed at her. Am I being too shameless?

  She could already picture Pixie’s reaction—throwing a fit, red-faced and furious.

  “Maybe this is going too far,” Elvynna mused.

  But then again, Pixie had started it, trying to steal Eirik right out from under her nose.

  Trying to steal my man… my future husband ?

  Pixie made the first move—so now it was senpai’s turn to strike back.

  A part of Elvynna couldn’t wait to see Pixie’s face when she learned that she, too, was joining the Ravenshadow family.